Dissertation Proposal

Dissertation proposal writing is perhaps the most significant stage in the life of an academic especially given the hours and perhaps years of study and preliminary investigations. There is certainly a dissertation proposal template that one needs to fit in given the many contributions and thought given by others who came before us. For example, Aristotle reminds us of the essence of the dissertation proposal being the statement by an eminent thinker that moves away from what may already be established wisdom. Thus, the task of how to write dissertation proposal is the task of letting your supervisors know that you are eminent and that you have something that is worthy of being considered new and challenging the status quo.

In this article, we discuss how to write dissertation proposal by first looking at the dissertation proposal outline that fits a dissertation proposal template and then we’ll move on to give a dissertation proposal example.

Elements of Proposal Dissertation Writing

Dissertation proposal writing is comprised of the following elements:

• The preparation stage
• Filling up the dissertation proposal outline
• Reviewing the rationality
• The actual dissertation proposal writing
• Dissertation proposal review and presentation

The incorporation of all these elements leads to a sample of dissertation proposal that is optimal and one that is not just likely to be approved, but one that is likely to be engaging to the writer and the prospective readers. For the purposes of our present task, we’ll provide a dissertation proposal example that is intended to show how these elements are incorporated to form a dissertation proposal.

The Preparation Stage for Our Dissertation Proposal

Our sample of dissertation proposal is about basic research that seeks to look at a body of knowledge from an abstract perspective without necessarily engaging in any concrete problem-solving. But it is important for one to be very clear about what kind of research is best for the circumstances. In our case, basic research is appropriate since our hypothetical situation is one of having an exploration of world views and historical analysis of how philosophy has developed since pre-history.

The problem statement, in this case, is: “Do we have cases in which the world view of a people is determined mainly by the conceptions of their origins?”

There are certainly other dissertation proposal writing approaches depending on the research methods that may fit into the task at hand, so one should always evaluate which research methods they wish to use and how the methods fit into the context.

The main point here in our preparation and learning of how to write dissertation proposal is to get know the structure of a dissertation proposal template and structure our critical questions around it. The components of a dissertation proposal template are as follows:

• There must be a title – Which we now propose tentatively from the foregoing as “The impact of stories of origin in knowledge development and management”
• We must have an introduction – At this point, we ask questions regarding the setting and context of the research and a justification of the dissertation proposal
• A statement of aims and objectives – What is the main aim of the research? How can this aim be achieved
• Critical questions on the methodology that best fits the research type – What kind of research does the sample of dissertation proposal demand?
• An explication of existing work and how the sample of dissertation proposal fits in – From what starting point are you departing and what is the knowledge trend that you intend to work on?
• An establishment of limitations on the dissertation project – Here we check on the scenarios of work and try to anticipate any limitations that may arise in the course of work
• Identification of sources and resources for the dissertation proposal – What are the best sources that can be used to generate the dissertation to optimal levels?
• Creation of a tentative outline of the sections that emerge from the preparations – Now that we have most of the information needed in how to write dissertation proposal, how do we want the document to look like?
• Since the dissertation happens in a time-bound context, one may need to develop an appropriate work schedule that fits with the general academic program – What is the time limit in the academic program? How does the outline you’ve developed fit into the program?
• Finally one needs to prepare for the reference methods and conventions that need to be used – Are there conventions to be followed in citing references in this dissertation proposal? What are some of the references needed in this particular dissertation proposal that will help get approval for the dissertation?

Filling up The Dissertation Proposal Outline

The foregoing questions are meant to provide information that can be rapidly deployed in developing a quick dissertation proposal outline. So, in this case, we deploy the information that we’ve gathered in our hypothetical academic problem that has been looking at the history of philosophy across cultures from pre-history to the present moment. Hence we can do a sample of dissertation proposal or more precisely, we can offer our dissertation proposal example quickly.

Title: “The impact of stories of origin in knowledge development and management”

Introduction: “Current trends in philosophical thought can be traced to general views generated by scientific discourse through key milestones like the scientific revolution’ or the various scientific revolutions’ that may have taken place within time under consideration. In our case, contemporary philosophical thoughts tend not to be clear on the scientific basis of the origins of man given the advances in mathematics and the physical sciences. Therefore, it is probable that much of philosophical discourse at the moment may not generate valid knowledge if there is no clear understanding and acceptance on the origin of man.

This study intends to trace different philosophical periods against the corresponding theories of origin and determine how the two are correlated and the probable impacts that arise out of them…”

Methodology

If the dissertation proposal is clear, then the methodology can be derived easily by stating the kind of inputs required in the dissertation proposal example. In our case, we need inputs that are primarily historical from cross-cultural samples along different time scales. This implies that our sampling methods, for example, can be logically determined and that we’ve already determined some of the required methods from the preliminaries.

Literature Survey and Review:

The initial stage of the literature survey may be determined by contents that one is already familiar with from the history of philosophy. But there are other samples of literature information that can be parts of the literature review. For example, each sample taken may generate its own literature review materials from each age and time that can be used to feed into the main dissertation proposal.

Determining the Constraints:

The above stages help in how to write dissertation proposal to the extent they give a clue on some of the constraints that are likely to be met in the course of work. Once these constraints have been deduced then we should ask ourselves how they can be met and the probable impacts they may have on the dissertation proposal. The idea is to minimize the impact of these constraints by innovation or even simplification of procedures.

Establishing Sources and Resources:

Since we know the main problem to be solved and the objectives in mind in the dissertation proposal, it’s now possible to determine the best information sources for the research. For example, are oral sources or personal observations on a sample credible, viable and relevant information sources? Such answers are best answered by iteratively checking on the answers of the above categories and developing a list of sources that will help to get the dissertation done on time.

Some of the work in the dissertation may need resources. That is entities with which you’ll interact to generate outputs that are important for the work. This may include software programs, places like museums, and design algorithms that are intended to create certain outputs.

Visualizing and Outlining the Dissertation Proposal

The dissertation proposal template that we’ve discussed so far and the results of our preparations above are then sufficient to give us a preview of how our dissertation proposal is likely to look like. Normally it’s the logical flow of the information we have and the necessary details that are needed to form a convincing argument to our supervisor(s).

Using pen and paper and sketch the various sections according to your findings and development and see how the different sections flow into each other. Does the whole structure make sense? Is it convincing? If it is, then fill out the necessary details and see how the document sounds!

Determining the Time Table of Work

We now have our sample of dissertation proposal, with most of the details clear. How much time will each section take? Given the sections already outlined, and the constraints expected, what would be the best time table schedule to develop? All answers are to be logically determined and a time table is drawn. Once the schedule can be determined to be sufficient and timely, it’s time to recall the conventions and writing style.

Of Citation and Style:

Recall that references have conventions, and the writing style of the dissertation proposal needs to be descriptive and precise and get to work!