Writing your Master's dissertation proposal

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Contact: wdc@ncl.ac.uk
Writing Your Master’s
Dissertation Proposal

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Slides will be uploaded:
Slides will be made available after the session at:
http://www.slideshare.net/WDCNewcastle

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Session outline
 The research proposal – what is it?
 Choosing your research project
 Functions and purpose of the research proposal
 Sections of the research proposal
 Common problems

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What is a research proposal?
 Phase: Very important first stage of the overall
research process
 Process: Planning and designing the research
(including placing it in context and linking it to
relevant literature)
 Product: The finished document (often assessed
in own right)
 Plan: The proposed plan for the execution of the
research
Punch (2006)

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Choosing a good research topic
 Choose something you are capable of undertaking
 Make sure you have the required skills, or can develop them in the time available
 Consider financial and time constraints
 Ensure that you can gain access to the data you need to collect
 It is important that the issues within the research can be linked to theory
 Knowledge of the relevant literature is important (but you don’t need to read
everything!)
 Clearly define your research questions and objectives
 Consider whether your research will provide fresh insights into the topic
 Choose a topic that interests you

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Functions and purpose of the
proposal
 To explain
 To persuade

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Functions and purpose of the
proposal
 Explanation
 What is the general research area?
 What is the research topic?
 What is the purpose of the research (what is it trying to find out or
achieve)?
 Is there a particular perspective behind my research (theoretical
framework/conceptual framework)?
 What are the general research questions?
 What are the specific research questions?
 How does the research propose to answer these questions? What
research methods will you use?
 What research instruments will you use?
 How will you analyse the data?

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Functions and purpose
 Persuasion
 Is there a need for the research – is it significant or important?
 Is the research grounded in the existing literature?
 Is the research doable by one person in the time available?
 Is the topic viable (in terms of data, sources, supervisors,
equipment)?
 Is the methodology suited to the purpose of the research/the stated
aims and objectives?
 Have you considered ethical issues and sought approval if
necessary?
 Does the topic match your interests and capabilities?

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The dissertation proposal as product
 Sections of the research proposal
 Common problems

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Sections (suggested)
 Introduction / Statement of intent
 Background (literature review/theoretical framework)
 Focus
 Research questions or hypotheses
 Methodology
 Timetable
 Chapter outline
 References

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Introducing the study
 The introduction
 identifies and defines key concepts
 specifies area of concern
 arouses interest (e.g. indication of the importance of
the study to theory or practice)
 communicates information that is essential to the
reader’s comprehension of what follows

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Background
 The background section
 establishes the lineage of the research problem by means of a
review of previous research and, where relevant contemporary
practice
 may introduce conceptual/theoretical framework (though this may
be a separate section)
 answers the questions:
 What do we already know or do?
 What do we need to know or do?

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Focus
 This section:
 states the aim/purpose of the research
 convinces the reader that you are asking the right question(s) and
that the answer is worth finding

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Formulating research questions or
hypotheses
 Questions (exploratory studies, qualitative research)
 Hypotheses (where existing knowledge/theory permits the
formulation of reasonable predictions)

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Quantitative research: Formulating
research questions
 Three tests:
 Is the question free of ambiguity?
 Is a relationship among variables expressed?
 Does the question imply an empirical test?
 Can you improve this question?
 Is there a relationship between self-esteem and reading
achievement in children?

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A clearer, less ambiguous question
Is there a relationship between scores on
the Children’s Test of Self-Esteem and
scores on the reading element of the
Scholastic Achievement test?

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Questions in qualitative proposals
 Usually more generalised; e.g.:
 What expectations do trainee teachers have of their trainers at the
beginning of the training programme?
 How do these expectations change in the course of the year?

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Problems with research questions
 The problem is not of sufficient importance or is unlikely to
produce any new or useful information
 The proposed research is based on a hypothesis that rests
on insufficient evidence, is doubtful or unsound
 The problem is more complex than the researcher appears
to realise
 The research as proposed is too broad, with too many
variables
 There is no clear research aim

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Methodology
 IMPORTANT: The quality of the data depends on the
appropriate selection of methods.
 This section includes:
 Identification and description of the target population and
sampling methods to be used (quantitative research)
 Presentation of instruments, equipment and/or techniques for
measurement (quantitative research)
 Presentation of procedures for collecting and recording data
 Explanation of data analysis procedures to be used
 Explanation of the coding process and system (qualitative
research)
 Development of plans for contingencies such as sudden
unavailability of subjects
 Explanation of limitations or restrictive weaknesses
 Ethical considerations

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Common problems with
approach/methodology
 The proposed methods are unsuited to the stated
objective
 The description of the approach is lacking in
clarity
 The statistical aspects of the approach have not
been given sufficient consideration
 The sample size (number of observations) is too
small
 The coding system is not effective.

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Further reading
Creswell, J.W. (2009) Research Design 3rd edition. Thousand
Oaks, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
Locke, L.F., Spirduso, W.W. and Silverman S.J. ( 2007)
Proposals that Work 5th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA and
London: SAGE
Punch, K.F. (2006) Developing Effective Research Proposals
2nd edition. London and Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE

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Level 2, Robinson Library
Undergraduate - Masters - PhD
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Develop your academic skills
 Take effective notes
 Think critically
 Interpret essay questions
 Understand assessment
criteria
 Read efficiently
 Argue convincingly
 Plan assignments
 Manage your time
 Express ideas confidently
• Revise effectively
• Critically review literature
• Structure essays
• Use drafting & editing
techniques
• Make the most of lectures
& seminars
• Manage your dissertation
or PhD thesis
• Avoid plagiarism
• Improve your exam
technique

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