Academic Proposal Writing

An academic proposal is the first step in producing a
thesis or major project.

Intent of Academic Proposal

To CONVINCE a supervisor or academic committee that your topic and approach are sound, so that you gain approval to proceed with the actual research.

Illustrate Your Position

As well as indicating your plan of action, show your theoretical positioning and your relationship to past work in the area.

Selecting the Research Topic

You know something but not everything.
Narrow Your Topic.

Expected Inclusions

1. Rationale for the choice of topic, showing why it is important or useful within the concerns of the discipline or course.
    
2.  Limitations of the study--don't promise what you can't possibly deliver.
   A review of the literature (existing published work) that relates to the topic.
    
3. Explanation of how the proposed work will build on existing studies and yet explore new territory.
    
4. Outline of your intended approach or methodology (with comparisons to the existing published work), perhaps including: costs, resources needed, and a timeline.
   

Organizing the Proposal

While organizing your material, be sure to emphasize the specific focus of your work--your research question.

Headings

Lists

• One
• Two
• Three

Visuals
Make reading and cross-reference easy
Use a concrete and precise style to show that you have chosen a feasible idea and can put it into action.
 

General Tips

Start with why your idea is worth doing (its contribution to the field)

Fill in how (technicalities about topic and method)

Give enough detail to establish feasibility, but not so much as to bore the reader.

Show your ability to deal with possible problems or changes in focus.

Show confidence and eagerness (use I and active verbs, concise style, positive phrasing).

• This research can be more effective at solving the problem.
  
  
• My research can more effectively solve the problem.
  

Also See

• Graduate  Workshop Schedule
• Graduate Writing Consultation
• Writing Consultation Policies
• Writing a Review of Literature
• Need a Verb?
• Writing the Abstract
• Proof Reading Tips
• Academic Proposal Writing