Research proposal: Worried about not knowing what is involved with developing a research proposal and choosing a topic? Your proposal sets out how you plan to do your thesis or dissertation research. Designing a proposal starts with establishing a research area that requires further investigation. You then select a topic area that addresses the gap you have highlighted. Once you decide on your topic, you choose a title that defines the boundaries of your study. Next you pose research questions, or formulate hypotheses, to address the issues raised by your title. The purpose of your research proposal is to describe how you plan to answer these questions or corroborate the hypotheses.
How textbook helps: Our book is a useful resource explaining the information you need for developing a research proposal and choosing a topic. It summarises the three golden rules for designing your proposal. First, specify what you want to do. Second, state why you want to do it. Third, stipulate how you plan to do it. In addition, the publication helps with identifying a research problem to study, choosing a topic, defining a research statement and formulating questions or hypotheses, Furthermore, the book assists you with devising a realistic research proposal project plan.
Student story: Alex was having great difficulty with developing a research proposal. As a result, he could not start the most important part of his postgraduate studies, the thesis. Using our Developing Your Research Proposal book, Alex scoped his area of research and set out clear aims and objectives. As a result, he designed a project plan that brought his ideas together into a robust proposal document.
“My problem was not knowing how to turn my research idea into a proposal with clear objectives and rigorous hypotheses. Thesis Upgrade’s book was brilliant. It helped me scope my project and provided me with excellent guidance. My supervisor said I drafted an excellent proposal.” Alex Scofield, MSc Human Resource Management.