Theses, Dissertations, and Project Reports (TDP): Proposal

When you turn in your proposal to the Office of Graduate Studies, the title page must include the signatures of all the members of your graduate committee. The signature of the director of your department must also be included.

Naturally, the full title of your proposal must also be included in the title page. As indicated in the document titled Guías para la preparación de propuestas, tesis, proyectos y disertaciones (Guides for the Preparation of Proposals, Theses, Projects and Dissertations), which is available on the webpage titled Propuesta Tesis/Proyecto (Thesis/Project Proposal) in the Office of Graduate Studies website, the title of your proposal must serve as "an accurate and concise description of the addressed research topic".

This section of the proposal is tied to one of the fundamental purposes of TDPs, which is that students make an original contribution to their field of study. In the justification, you must explain how your work adds to the body of knowledge in your discipline. 

In order to make a strong argument about the importance of your study, it is essential that you know as much as possible about your field. This is closely connected to the literature review stage. You must have an awareness of what has been researched and what has been written around your topic, and you must establish how your study adds to these previous efforts.

It is very important that you obtain your advisor's impressions with regards to your justification. This person will help you refine your research topic so that your work represents a true contribution. Your advisor will also help you articulate a convincing argument in favor of the significance of your study.

In the literature review section of your proposal, you must show that you are well-informed about the studies that have been published in your field. It is important that you are familiar with dominant perspectives and trends in your discipline. This will give you a strong sense of security in knowing that the study you are going to conduct truly represents an original contribution.

It is good to think about scholarly literature as an ongoing conversation. Your research project represents your entry into that conversation. In order for you to contribute to the discussion, it is important that you know what has been said and what specific topics are currently attracting the most attention. Reviewing the literature prepares you in this regard.

Below you will find resources that will help you conduct your literature review effectively.

• Literature Review Clinic (Graduate Writing Facilitators)
• The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Go to the "Tips & Tools" tab
  • Click on the "Literature Reviews" link
• Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students (North Carolina State University Libraries)
• How to Write a Literature Review (Wordvice Editing Service)

In this section, you must clearly establish what it is that you want to achieve with your study. The way you do this will vary from one discipline to the next. If you are a natural sciences student, you will probably state a hypothesis, which you will then test in your study. In the social sciences, it is common for researchers to establish a set of research questions which will define the focus of the project.

In any case, the goal is to articulate the purpose of your study as clearly and precisely as possible. 

Before you begin your study, you must have a clear idea of how you will conduct it. This includes both the data collection process and the analysis process.

It is very helpful to know what are the most common practices in your discipline in terms of methodology. In some disciplines, quantitative approaches are the most usual, while in others, qualitative research methods are usually employed. Additionally, mixed methods are an emerging tendency in certain fields.

Your literature review can help you determine what methodology you should use. Find out what methods have been used by others who have conducted studies similar to yours. ¡You don't need to reinvent the wheel! However, if you adapt a method designed and used by someone else to your own study, remember to give proper attribution.

Consult your thoughts on methodology with your advisor. This person can give you valuable insight concerning this issue. They can tell you if the methodology you are considering is good for your research topic or if you should look at other options. Also, make sure that you have access to all the resources necessary to apply the methodology you are planning on using. Finally, be aware of any protocols you must comply with in order to carry out the data collection method you choose. This can include obtaining government permits and going through CPSHI review.

This section includes full references to all the sources you cited in your proposal. Your references must have a consistent format, and must be in accordance to the rules of any style manual or author guide you are using. Each reference entry must provide sufficient information about the source as to allow your readers to accurately identify and locate it.

If you need information about what style manual or author guide is used in your discipline, you can go to the "Citation" section of this guide and check the "Formats by Faculty" box. As always, double-check with your advisor.