Getting Started on a PhD Proposal
Here is how to get started on your PhD proposal:
- Meet with your advisor or tutor.
- Get acquainted with your PhD thesis committee.
- Review available research and work with your tutor or advisor on formulating your main thesis topic. Typically, the topic is a carry through to what you might have researched for your master’s degree or an undergraduate degree. Of course, you can also choose to head in a new direction, but just make sure you are touching on a new area as a PhD is based on original research.
- Research PhD help literature, websites and texts.
The Components of a PhD Proposal
Your PhD proposal should contain the following components in the order listed below:
- Project Summary or Abstract:one-page summary of what is contained in your proposal.
- Table of Contents:lists what is covered in the PhD proposal along with accompanying page numbers.
- Introduction:background, research relevance and rationale, aim and objectives, and overview of what the PhD will contain by chapter.
- Literature Review:review of research already available on the topic to illustrate how your research will be new and different.
- Research Methodology:describes the research tools and methodologies you will use to develop the new research.
- Schedule:timeframe for completing each segment of your PhD thesis.
- Conclusions:argue why this topic should be approved.
- Presentation:this is a separate document that you will use during your presentation to the thesis committee.
- Bibliography:lists sources used and/or considered for the PhD proposal and future research to start the PhD thesis.
Writing a PhD Proposal
Here’s how to approach writing your PhD proposal:
- Agree on a thesis aim and set of objectives with your tutor or advisor.
- Gather research, literature, and information you need to use in your proposal.
- Spend time on reading and reflecting; also, take copious notes that can later be used within the proposal or thesis.
- Organise your notes on note cards or a computer file to keep topics and findings from research segmented by topic or objective.
- Create an outline, using the above structure as your foundation. Be sure to list all subheads and ideas you want to cover in that particular area of the proposal.
- Begin to input your notes and findings to the outline. During this time, you can also review other proposal samples to consider the style, format, and language that are considered appropriate for a proposal.
- Continue writing and reading, which will help you to revise certain areas as you go.
- Share your work with your tutor and advisor or others who can provide their input on what is missing or what does not make sense.
- Take time to proofread and check for grammar, spelling, and overall consistency. Also have another pair of eyes read it over.
Be prepared to revise, if necessary, after your tutor or advisor reads or even after the committee views it. Don’t be discouraged as this is necessary to ensure that the research path for the thesis is one that makes sense.
Preparing a PhD proposal is the first step toward garnering a PhD. With it comes a lot of research and writing, but, when handled in the right steps and with an effective plan, that PhD proposal will be readily approved and you will be on your way to starting your PhD thesis. This guide offers some suggestions on getting started and writing your PhD proposal.