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Writing a Thesis Proposal: A Systems Approach
A thesis proposal is…
A thesis proposal is a document that proposes a research project. A research project addresses a
research problem. This problem is framed as a research question for which the thesis will offer an answer
or solution.
Goal of a thesis proposal
A thesis proposal seeks to convince a thesis supervisor or thesis committee that the research project is
feasible.
Feasible
means
• that the project should be undertaken, i.e. that it is an important question for your field that
should be researched,
• that it is possible, i.e. that you know how to approach and execute the project,
• that you know that there is sufficient data, and
• that you can do the project in the required timeframe.
Importance of writing a strong thesis proposal
A clearly defined research problem (or question) is central to the success of a research project. It helps
you to determine that your project is doable before you begin writing the thesis (or memoir).
In addition, if you take the time to clearly describe your project in your proposal, you will be able to write
your thesis faster and more easily because you will have solidified key elements. Also, the thesis proposal
can be used as a guide to help you stay on track while writing your thesis.
Sections of a thesis proposal
A thesis proposal usually contains some formulation of the following sections:
• statement of the research question
• rationale for the research project
• literature review
• theoretical / conceptual framework
• methodology
• research design – a plan outlining how and when each step of the project will be done
Writing a thesis proposal: a systems approach
A systems approach to proposal writing means picturing your research project as a system made up of
several elements. In a systems approach, each element is essential to the system as a whole. If an
element is removed or missing, the system fails.
Each of the sections of your proposal represents an element of the larger project. Accordingly, each
section you write should represent an essential element of your thesis project.
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This approach will help you to think about each section as you write it. When writing each section,
• Always keep in mind the project as a whole. Make sure that everything you write helps to make
that project possible.
• Ask yourself,
o What does the section contribute to the project?
o How is the section essential to the project as a whole?
o How would the project look without the section?
Statement of the research question
The research question drives your entire research project, so it is important to state it clearly. Students
often know what they want to argue but don’t know how to formulate it into a research question. Usually,
the question that inspired you to take up the research will then be your research question. To identify
your research question, it may be useful to respond to the following questions:
• What do you want to argue?
• Why? Why is this important? Why do you think you should argue it in a thesis?
• What directed you to this argument?
• What question sparked your research into your topic?
Rationale
After stating the research question, you must convince your supervisor or supervisory committee that
your research project is worthwhile. Think about the present factors, such as a lack of research on your
topic. Then consider the future implications, what your project will contribute to your field, in order to
demonstrate the validity of your project.
• Why is it important that a study be done on this topic? What new insights would this bring?
• Have no studies been done by other people (which will be revealed in a literature review)?
• Have some studies been done which missed aspects of the problem you think are important?
• Would the results of such a study provide valuable information needed to solve a certain problem?
• Would the results open up possibilities for further research?
Literature Review
A literature review allows you to show that you are familiar with the literature pertinent to your topic. In
addition, by identifying elements of your topic that have not been written about, a literature review helps
you to show the importance of your decision to conduct research and write on your topic with the
approach you have chosen.
• What kinds of literature do you have to read in order to determine what has been written on your
topic? Why?
• What has been written on your topic? By whom?
• In all that you read, what does it tell you? What does it not tell you? Why are both of these
important for your topic?
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework is the viewpoint or angle from which you are approaching your topic. This
framework should enable you to ask questions of a topic that could not be asked (or could not be asked
as effectively) without it.
• On what basis are you making your arguments?
• What assumptions or presuppositions are you bringing to your work? Why?
• How are these based in a theoretical framework?
• What does your theoretical framework enable you to do with your topic?
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Methodology
Your methodology comprises the various methods and material that you will use to obtain and analyze
the information necessary to answer your research question. Be careful not to simply describe your
methodology—you must also justify it. This means explaining why a particular choice of methodology will
enable you to do a project that will produce results that are new or unique.
• How are you going to do your project?
• What research methods will you use? (Qualitative? Quantitative?) Why?
• What material will you use? (Types of books? Interviews? Analytical tools?) Why?
• How do particular methodologies allow you to address different questions?
• What are the strengths of your methods and materials? What are their weaknesses?
Tips for Presentation
Always make it clear to the reader what you are proposing and why it is important.
It is not enough to simply describe things. Do not assume that the reader can figure out what you are
proposing to do and the relevance of what you are doing if you only describe and do not explicitly explain
these things.
• For example, if you want to argue that an article does not address the question you seek to
address, it is not enough to describe what the article does address. You need to explicitly tell the
reader what the article does not address and why this omission is significant.
• Strategy: Talk about the article; do not just summarize.
“Although the article addresses many
pertinent questions, it remains silent on this particular question: ….
”
Use verb tenses strategically.
• Present tense is used for relating what other authors say and for discussing the literature,
theoretical concepts, methods, etc.
“In her article on biodiversity, Jones stipulates that ….”
In addition, use the present tense when you present your observations on the literature.
“However, on the important question of extinction, Jones remains silent.”
• Past tense is used for recounting events, results found, etc.
“Jones and Green conducted experiments over a ten-year period. They determined that it was not
possible to recreate the specimen.”
• Future tense is used for describing how you will accomplish your research.
“This thesis will challenge Jones and Green’s conclusions about biodiversity and will propose a new
approach to the problem of species extinction.”
For further reference
Academic Affairs at Claremont Graduate University.
Writing a proposal
. http://www.cgu.edu/pages/887.asp.
The Learning Centre at the University of South Wales.
Thesis proposals
.
http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/thesis1.html.
Mauch, J.E. and Park, N. (2003).
Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation
. Ch. 3 and 4.
University of California-Berkeley.
Dissertation proposal workshop
.
http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/DissPropWorkshop.
University of Queensland Learning Support Centre.
Well into it: End of first year
.
http://www.sss.uq.edu.au/linkto/phdwriting/fr_phsta.html.
© 2007 Academic Writing Help Centre, University of Ottawa
