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Dissertation Proposal

The complete guide to writing an academic dissertation proposal...

OK, you've got a topic. Before you run-off in a full sprint towards writing your dissertation, you need something first - a dissertation proposal.

What is a Dissertation Proposal?

A dissertation proposal is where you outline what your final dissertation is going to be like. It's meant to persuade your peers that the title you've chosen, and the subject you're writing on, is interesting enough to be studied, and that you've got the ability to do it in a way that's not been written about before.

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What do I need to do in a Dissertation Proposal?

Since you're going to have to persuade people, you need to be able to outline what you'll be working on. You need to clearly demonstrate the focus of the dissertation (e.g. how you'll approach the subject, what questions you'll seek to answer, etc.), and that you have the ability to select relevant sources to support your hypothesis. You'll need to demonstrate where your work will fit in the current canon of literature. A dissertation proposal should also provide a plan for the final piece - not necessarily a definitive one, but it should include suggestions for topics you're going to discuss and how they relate to what's already been written.

Does that mean I have to read everything that's ever been written?

Not at all. You don't need to have read everything that's been written on the subject - with some subjects that'd take far too long! You need to be able to demonstrate that you understand the subject the debates and different arguments that've already been put forward. By doing this, you'll also be able to show how your work differs from previous theorists.

OK. What about a literature review?

If your dissertation is going to contain a literature review, you should talk to your supervisor extensively and plan far in advance. A literature review is different from your main proposal in that you're reviewing, or surveying, your potential sources rather than setting out your stall. Its main importance is allowing you to see which critics will be most useful when you come to write your own work.

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I've done a lot of research already though, why do I need a proposal?

It's a good idea to not go too in-depth into your research until you've written your proposal. Rather than giving yourself a more solid platform and a stronger conclusion, working on your research without a proposal means you haven't got a definite plan. Working on a dissertation is like walking across continents - you'd want a map if you were going to try that, wouldn't you? The dissertation proposal is your map, pointing you in the right direction and making sure you don't stray too far from the right path.

Sounds good. What do I need to put into a Dissertation Proposal?

There are five basic questions which you need to answer in your proposal.

  • What's the problem you'll be looking at?
  • Why has it become a problem?
  • Where will you find answers to the problem?
  • Why is your approach better than what's gone before?
  • What will the legacy of your work be?

Is this everything I need to write a Dissertation Proposal?

The above isn't exhaustive list. Every dissertation proposal has a different structure, in the same way that every dissertation is different and unique. There are also differences between academic disciplines - a dissertation proposal for history will be different to a dissertation proposal for linguistics. However, if you follow what's written above, giving it relevance to your dissertation, you'll have gone a long way towards writing a top class dissertation proposal.