Research Proposal

Writing Dissertation Proposal
(Training Workshop)
Dr Salma Khatoon
GCUniversity, Lahore
1. Identifying Your Research Problem or
Question
 Select a topic which is exciting to you. (find a topic which is of keen
interest to you personally and professionally)
Question: How do I find that topic?
You may consider some options:

 You draw on knowledge which you acquired in your coursework and from
your independent reading and journal writing.
 You engage in dialogue with professors about topics which might be
acceptable. (Your dissertation will only get done with the assistance and
support of the faculty)
 You collaborate with student-colleagues, discussing the topics they are
contemplating for their research, using recently accepted dissertations
as samples of what your dissertation needs to represent.
 You draw on your personal/professional experiences.
Some Effective Ways to Identify
Specific Research Question
 Engage in extended inquiry, maintaining an open mind about
the conflicting theories and perspectives advanced by the
leaders in the field.
 Many students at the end of the required coursework have
questions that interest them. These questions could
ultimately be phrased as research questions.
Let us consider a variety of effective ways to move the agenda

from several potential topics to identifying your specific
research question.
 Identify some potential questions which you might want to
research for your dissertation.
 Note some topics and questions which interest you.
 Put these ideas on paper. It will help you to progress.

Example
Potential questions or issues to consider
1. How is violence portrayed in modern drama?
2. How does the computer influence student writing in

college?
3.
4.
Now that you have listed some potential questions, you

will need to consider several issues.
Potential Questions or Issues to
Consider
Some criteria for evaluating these were suggested by

Hawley (1993):
Is it interesting to me?
Is it manageable?
Is it within the range of my competence?
Is the data source reliable?
Does it make a significant and original contribution?
Is it (too)controversial?
Issues to Consider
Revise or review each of the potential questions you’ve listed above
using Hawley’s criteria as a basis for either revising or eliminating
each from your pool of potential questions. Add if you want to.
 Example:
Question 1: How does the computer influence student writing in

college?
Revised potential questions:
Question 2: How do students in English 101 use the computer?
Question 3:
Question 4:
Next Step
Note your knowledge related to each of the revised questions.

Issues to Consider (contd.)
Organize your notation of the major theorists, research
studies etc. which might help to inform your research
for each question. (work intensively on this grid)
You might identify a large number of issues and connect
these issues to the readings you’ve done in your
courses.
Also brainstorm with some colleagues to expand the
resources, refine the questions and remind yourself of
additional sources of information.
Use the form below to organize your notation
of the major theorists, research studies etc.
Revised Questions Theories and research related to the topic

1. How do students in English • Development of writing proficiencies
101 use the computer? • Relationship between writing and learning
• Relationship between reading and writing
• Adult learning
2.
3.
 As you progress, you are likely to identify some research gaps in
your knowledge.
You may want to consider your options. For example:

 Is this really an unexplored issue?
 How can I rephrase the question to tap into my knowledge?
 Are there topics more closely related to my knowledge?
 Do I know anyone who has conducted research in a similar area?
 Will the study help in my professional responsibilities? . . . Or in

my future career?
Alternative Starting Point
 Identify sources.
 Draw on related databases which you know are available.
 In addition, try to rephrase your questions more precisely, recognizing that

each question must be highly focused guiding a research project that is
“do-able” and do-able in a reasonable time.
Alternative Starting Point: Strategy II (Another way to start):
Identify related, unexpected, or controversial issues, the topics which have

intrigued you.
Strategy III
List personal experiences and connect your potential exploration of these

topics with the knowledge you have acquired.
Alternative Starting Point
(Contd.)
Strategy IV
Review your journal writing or file for “potential research”

noting numerous questions you posed as you reflected on your
personal learning.
Strategy V
Confer with programme professors, brainstorming possible

topics.
Study the faculty’s interests.
Intriguing topics/issues A different perspective

1.
 You do not start by “writing your thesis”.
 You start by identifying a problem.
 You may write notes as a process towards clarifying your

questions.
 You start by reading/talking to colleagues/asking professors.
What is your dissertation work?

 Your work is multi-dimensional:
 Reading, planning, conducting your study, and writing it up.
 Reading leads to planning and planning will result in additional

reading. (Go back and forth between reading and writing)
 Clearly, thinking is at the centre of all these activities.
 Research Report called your dissertation
Reading
 Read voraciously and widely.
 Read journal articles.
 Read other dissertations completed at your institutions. (p. 86)
 When do I stop reading?
 It depends.
 Make a bibliographic reference card for each document you look

at. (p. 87)
Planning
Plan your research questions, your methods for
collecting and analyzing your data and the organization
of your findings.
Research questions, collecting and organizing
Establish a productive mindset. Keep paper and pencil

with you at all times. Even when you move away from
your computer, your mind continues working on your
dissertation.
 Schedule your dissertation time. Establish your own schedule
for tasks.
 Create a checklist. (p. 89)
 Developing a productive setting.
Guiding principle: to have a sense of your next step.

 Document your progress in moving your research closer to its
conclusion.
Writing and Rewriting

 Frequently writers get stuck trying to select an exciting title or
the perfect word, handicapping their flow of ideas. The sooner
you start writing, the more rapidly you are likely to progress.
Allow yourself to leave spaces where you will need to
add information and places where you can note vague
understandings. But get started.
Keep all your drafts.
Date each draft.
Focus initially on getting your ideas down. Gradually,

attend to revising your text. (p. 91)
Rewriting is an essential element in your dissertation
work and all polished writing.
Create multiple copies.
When giving work to your committee for reaction,

always keep a copy for yourself.
2. Writing Your Dissertation Proposal
While Designing Your Dissertation/Thesis Research
Writing your dissertation proposal prepares you for
conducting your research and subsequently writing your
dissertation/thesis.
A dissertation proposal usually comprises several related
sections.
In many instances, the dissertation proposal has a prescribed
format, including several chapters.
The content of the proposal may include an explanation of
the rationale for planning the study and a design for
conducting the study.
It can be a brief 10-15 page document/ averaging 75 pages.
Purpose for Writing a Dissertation
Proposal
 There are six major purposes accomplished by writing your
dissertation proposal. In writing it, you:
 identify your specific research focus;
 create a group of faculty scholars who will guide your research

apprenticeship;
 establish your research proficiencies;
 acquire proficiency in a writing style acceptable for your

dissertation;
 draft early chapters of your dissertation;
 and prepare yourself for writing your dissertation.

Your research proposal is your opportunity to present an
“argument” acknowledging multiple perspectives while
advancing a new perspective on the on-going discussion.
It is intended to convince your readers that this
proposed study is worthwhile doing and that you have
the necessary experience to conduct the study.
Contents of the Dissertation Proposal
 The dissertation proposal is a preliminary, scholarly document, and it presents an
academic argument or position advancing your research as a potential contribution to
knowledge.
 The proposal typically contains four major components:
1. A descriptive title (Phrasing your title is a very important preliminary step.)
The title of your proposal indicates the key issues which you are planning to investigate.
Philosophical and critical studies usually state the research focus. (e.g. “Opportunities and
Obstacles in Bilingual Reading”.)
2. A statement of the research problem or question and the theoretical concerns

to be addressed. (p. 102) (your problem should be explicitly phrased)
The statement of your research problem typically includes three parts:
1. a relatively brief discussion in which you present a “problem” in your academic

discipline;
2. a cohesive theoretical rationale (why this is important to study); and
3. a statement of the potential significance of the study.

3. A presentation of studies and theories which are related to the
proposed study.
Following your statement of the problem, you will discuss the theoretical
rationale. This section usually indicates the unique qualities of your study,
which may include:
 filling a theoretical or research gap in the discipline;
 exploring an inconsistency in research findings; or
 clarifying a conflict between theories.
In this section, the theory or theories which are connected to the “problem”
are explained.
You make a case for the importance of this topic based on the gaps in theories,
the evolving knowledge, the need to test untested theories, and/or the conflicts
between theories that are currently being discussed in your discipline.
This section closes with a brief statement of the potential significance of your
study.
(You seek to persuade your readers that it is the perfect time to do this study
because it is likely to make an important contribution to your field, and that you
are knowledgeable and proficient to conduct this study.)
4. An explanation of the procedures planned to conduct the proposed study:
1. data to be collected;
2. procedure for collecting the data;
3. procedure for analyzing the data;
Typically multiple drafts of a proposal are made.

Sample Table of Contents for a
Dissertation Proposal
 Proposal Title:
 Chapter I: The Problem
Statement of the Problem
Theoretical Rationale (relevant Theories)
Limitations of the Study

 Chapter II: Review of the Literature
Historical Perspectives on . . .
 Chapter III: Research Design
The setting of the Study

 REFERENCES
Thank you

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Writing Dissertation Proposal

Question: How do I find that topic?

You may consider some options:

Let us consider a variety of effective ways to move the agenda

 Put these ideas on paper. It will help you to progress.

1. How is violence portrayed in modern drama?

2. How does the computer influence student writing in

Now that you have listed some potential questions, you

Some criteria for evaluating these were suggested by

Is it within the range of my competence?

Is the data source reliable?

Does it make a significant and original contribution?

Question 1: How does the computer influence student writing in

Revised potential questions:

Question 2: How do students in English 101 use the computer?

Note your knowledge related to each of the revised questions.

Revised Questions Theories and research related to the topic

You may want to consider your options. For example:

 How can I rephrase the question to tap into my knowledge?

 Are there topics more closely related to my knowledge?

 Do I know anyone who has conducted research in a similar area?

 Will the study help in my professional responsibilities? . . . Or in

 Draw on related databases which you know are available.

 In addition, try to rephrase your questions more precisely, recognizing that

Alternative Starting Point: Strategy II (Another way to start):

Identify related, unexpected, or controversial issues, the topics which have

List personal experiences and connect your potential exploration of these

Review your journal writing or file for “potential research”

Confer with programme professors, brainstorming possible

Study the faculty’s interests.

Intriguing topics/issues A different perspective

 You start by identifying a problem.

 You may write notes as a process towards clarifying your

What is your dissertation work?

 Reading, planning, conducting your study, and writing it up.

 Reading leads to planning and planning will result in additional

 Read journal articles.

 Read other dissertations completed at your institutions. (p. 86)

 When do I stop reading?

 Make a bibliographic reference card for each document you look

Establish a productive mindset. Keep paper and pencil

 Developing a productive setting.

Guiding principle: to have a sense of your next step.

Writing and Rewriting

Date each draft.

Focus initially on getting your ideas down. Gradually,

When giving work to your committee for reaction,

 create a group of faculty scholars who will guide your research

 acquire proficiency in a writing style acceptable for your

 and prepare yourself for writing your dissertation.

 The proposal typically contains four major components:

1. A descriptive title (Phrasing your title is a very important preliminary step.)

2. A statement of the research problem or question and the theoretical concerns

The statement of your research problem typically includes three parts:

1. a relatively brief discussion in which you present a “problem” in your academic

2. a cohesive theoretical rationale (why this is important to study); and

3. a statement of the potential significance of the study.

 filling a theoretical or research gap in the discipline;

 exploring an inconsistency in research findings; or

 clarifying a conflict between theories.