Component Function Characteristics
Cover page identifies topic, writer, institution and proposed thesis title (should be
degree descriptive of focus, concise, eye-
catching and preferably use key
words from the international
information retrieval systems)
writer's name and qualifications
department, university and degree
proposal is for
Table of Contents lists sections of proposal and page use a hierarchy for titles and
references subtitles
Background: (and a more provides background information relating to may include historical, cultural,
descriptive name) the social/political/historical/ educational political, social or organizational
(etc) context of the study information about the context of
the research
may include a theoretical starting
point
may include personal motivation
may include policy
Need for the study. follows from background to persuade the this may include reference to a
Usually this is combined reader that the study will be 'gap' in the research literature, to
with the previous section useful/interesting the need to apply certain ideas in
a new context, or to the
significance of your particular topic
the ways in which the study may
be significant for the educational
community may also be discussed
Purpose and aims of the to state clearly and succinctly the purpose the purpose is expressed in terms
study of the study of the broader context of the study
to outline the key research questions and the research question(s) (usually
aims What, How, Why, or What if)
should be few, so that the focus is
manageable
the aims will be related to the
purpose and the questions
Review of the literature to show your supervisor and department this is not expected to be
that you are aware of significant extensive for the proposal
writers/researchers in the field, and to
indicate which issues/topics you will focus you should have done an initial
on in your review (this may change later) survey of the main theorists and a
library information search (CD
to show that you can be judicious in your ROMs etc) to establish your
selection of issues to focus on and take an directions and formulate a
approach of critical inquiry tentative list of readings
you should demonstrate critical
analysis
your review should be shaped by
your argument and should seek to
establish your theoretical
orientation
Research design describes the research plans includes your understandings of
the nature of knowledge and how
this affects your choice of
research approach
includes description of and
rationale (brief) for selection of
participants, methods of data
collection and analysis, and
procedures you will use to ensure
ethical practice
includes a statement about the
delimitations (boundaries) of the
study
Timetable/plan (may be depicts the tasks proposed and the this may take the form of a chart,
part of research design) stages/times for their completion timeline or flowchart (or any other)
Proposed thesis structure describes the focus of each proposed each chapter's proposed contents
chapter is described in a few lines or a
small paragraph, or
a proposed table of contents is
presented
Significance/Expected predicts the significance of the study and this is only a prediction, and may
Outcomes of the study expected outcomes. These may relate be excluded if the rationale for the
closely to aims study has been well developed
earlier in the proposal
Glossary of terms lists specialised terms or words and their this is placed in a position which is
meanings (eg, from another culture, easy to locate (eg, before or after
acronyms, key concepts in a relatively new the main text parts)
field)
Appendices to display documents which are relevant to includes documents, pilot study
main text, but whose presence in the text material, questions for interviews,
would disturb rather than enhance the flow survey instruments, explanatory
of the argument or writing statement to participants,etc.
References list of works that have been consulted thus use referencing conventions
far and appear to be useful recommended by your supervisor