my thesis proposal

McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, January 03). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a problem statement | guide & examples, writing strong research questions | criteria & examples, how to write a literature review | guide, examples, & templates, what is your plagiarism score.

How to write a thesis proposal in 5 simple steps

For grad students, the most important proposal in the world is the thesis proposal. The thesis proposal is an outline of the research work you plan to do in your thesis or dissertation.

It’s a roadmap on which your academic and professional career depends. As with any other type of proposal, the more careful the planning, the better the results you’ll get from your thesis proposal.

Once you have decided on a topic the fun of putting together the thesis proposal itself begins.

Writing the proposal itself is challenging, but with the right templates and strategies, it is entirely doable.

This blog post will explain how to write a preliminary thesis, and how to overcome some of the hurdles most graduate students encounter along the way. And we’ll even provide you with a free proposal template to help you get started.

Step 1: Outlining

Your thesis proposal starts with outlining the materials you’ve gathered. This is very important because the thesis proposal is as much for your benefit as it is your instructor.

If you can carefully outline the parts of the thesis, you can follow the outline in conducting the research to develop the actual project.

What your instructor is likely looking for is evidence in your proposal that you understand the process of data collection. Making it clear that your research will incorporate reviewing and integrating relevant literature is a big part of the proposal.

To do this most effectively, you need to know the structure of a thesis proposal. Here are the steps you’ll take to outline your thesis:

Step 2: Defining a structure

You need to know the common structure of a thesis proposal. The typical parts are as follows:

Step 3: Planning your writing

The best way to put together an organized thesis plan is to organize how you will write it before you get started. Many thesis proposals have been rejected simply because the students didn’t plan their writing and instead tried to hack it all together.

If you attempt that, it will show, and the thesis structure is likely to be rejected.

Don’t let that happen to you. Plan the flow of your writing — and stick to the plan!

The usual flow of writing a thesis proposal is as follows:

Note that the writing of the thesis proposal does not follow the actual structure of the thesis proposal. Simply put, how can you write an abstract if you do not know what the research actually says?

You have to write out of sequence to be able to create an accurate introduction and abstract.

Step 4: Writing the thesis proposal

Once you’ve planned your writing, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get it done! Thesis proposals are written in formal style, which is what sets them apart from many other types of proposals.

Although the proposal will be in formal style, it is still important to keep it simple — work towards concision while maintaining academic objectivity, leveraging readability.

Step 5: Proofreading your proposal

A thesis proposal is no place for typos or poor readability. If you show your proposal to a fellow student or friend and they have a hard time understanding what you are trying to say, even though they are in your field, you will want to revise.

The best practices for thoroughly proofreading a thesis proposal are as follows:

5 helpful tips to write a better thesis

If you know how to write a business plan or even how to write a PhD dissertation proposal — then you are very lucky. But in most cases, many people need help.

These 5 tips can help to relieve the pain that is thesis writing.

1. Know the requirements

Review all the requirements for your proposed project with your supervisor before you get started. If he or she defines the length of the final paper, you’ll need to also work out the other requirements of the thesis. Things like font and spaces are likely important too.

For example: There is a big difference between a thesis that is 200 pages with 12 point font versus the same length at 14 point font. One is much easier and one is much harder to read.

2. Constantly check your work

Much of your thesis work will entail editing. As soon as you start your thesis, you’ll realize that the more work you do, the more difficult it is to go back and review it.

Remember that rewriting will take up a huge chunk of time, and that’s okay as this naturally happens with these kinds of projects. Professional writers can easily attest to this. Also, be mindful of developing your own style of writing.

3. Don’t leave questions unanswered

The original purpose of your thesis was to find solutions to a certain problem, wasn’t it?

But even within your research, you will discover that there will always be more questions to be answered. Do not ignore them. Draw additional attention to those questions in your conclusion — it may provide you with a base for separate work.

Remember: If you open up new questions, make every attempt to resolve them.

4. Keep a list of references from the start

A lot of people make the same mistake — not all citations appear in the reference list. Before you submit your thesis, tripple check each and every one of your citations and references.

To make this a lot easier on yourself, start a literature review as soon as you start drafting your thesis.

5. Take advantage of useful apps

There’s a lot that goes into writing a thesis proposal, and you need a way to stay organized and keep track of the various due dates.

Using a Gantt chart or a Kanban board can help you organize the details of your project and manage the various due dates.

And the advantage of using specialized apps is that they prepare you to use professional tools like the Salesforce AppExchange .

Apps like Salesforce can help small businesses streamline and simplify many business processes.

Are you ready to write a thesis proposal?

Is it “that time” for you? Is it time to apply yourself to make your first substantial contribution to research in your field?

The first part of the deal is a rock-solid thesis proposal and we think you’ll be off to a good start with the tips from this how-to.

If you need a little additional guidance, feel free to use our free thesis proposal template . This template lays out the basic outline of how your thesis should look, which will save you valuable time.

Have you written a thesis proposal before? Please share your experiences with us in the comment space below.

Frequently asked questions

What is a thesis proposal.

A thesis proposal is a summary that details an outline of your work. It identifies a problem that you’re researching, clearly states all the questions that will be researched as well as describes the resources and materials you need.

What makes a good thesis?

For graduate students, a thesis proposal is your opportunity to outline a problem and explain the significance of your work. A strong thesis statement should contain the following three elements:

How long does a thesis statement have to be?

A thesis statement sums up the main point made in your work in just one to two sentences. It should be as concise as possible, and provide your readers an introduction to the main argument in just 30 to 40 words.

Originally published May 9, 2014, updated May 27, 2021

How to write a perfect invoice to have all your accounting docs in order

Proposals 10 min

How to nail your PhD proposal and get accepted: Examples included

Sales 12 min

Thesis Helpers

Find the best tips and advice to improve your writing. Or, have a top expert write your paper.

How to Write a Great Thesis Proposal The Easy Way

What Is A Thesis Proposal?

A thesis proposal is the link-bridge to the main thesis, laying out the plan of how you will conduct the research. This way, the professors (assessment committee) will know that you are on the right path and got the right tools to get to the final destination.

The first step is developing a thesis proposal outline, commonly referred to as a thesis proposal template, which will help you do your project. It provides a clear thesis proposal format so that you can easily know what to do at what stage. Your proposal should be structured on a number of key elements, each of which should assist you to define the main project.

Thesis Proposal Template

How to Write a Thesis Proposal

A thesis proposal requires comprehensive research, preparation, and a well-defined final destination. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you craft thee best proposal for your thesis.

“ The differences in communication styles between men and women have been a topic of interest in the research world for many years. These differences may lead to miscommunication, conflict, and even dissatisfaction between couples. This study analyzes the communication styles among genders, more specifically among married couples. It questions how differences in communication styles between married couples married five years or less affect marital satisfaction. …”

Discuss the topic with your supervisor. Your supervisor can help you to refine the topic further, and give you the assurance that you are headed in the right direction. He/she will also assist you in grasping the complexities to anticipate along the way and the best way to approach them. See a good thesis proposal example topic.

“ A Detailed History of Halloween and King of Gourds: A Study of Horror Symbolism”

“ The first spooky faces were carved on pumpkins by rats, although considered inferior, mimics were later done by people. When rats brought the dangerous Black Death, people started connecting pumpkins to plague. Pumpkins were also used to scare off the spirits of the dead person to prevent further deaths. Soon after, Jack o lanterns were adopted across the globe as common Halloween talismans. ”

“ What effect does daily use of Facebook have on the Attention span of adolescents?” “What effect do legal approaches have on people who drink and drive in the UK?”

“ Noller (1980) comprehensively compared the effectiveness of women and men as nonverbal communicators. Being an effective communicator involves both encoding and decoding messages. Noller argued that w omen have a natural tendency to be more expressive. He added that men tend to make more errors than women when encoding messages.”

Theoretical approaches. Analytical framework. Formulas and equations. Experiments. Philosophies.

“Pumpkins are crucial Jungian symbols used to indicate the desire of the subconscious mind to control and change the feeling of horror and fear of the people’s desire to understand the unknowable. This study will expand the field of pumpkinology, while fellowship with rats will further be expanded. This will herald a new era of plague-less companionship.”

Thesis Proposal Example

Check out this thesis proposal sample from our dissertation proposal writing services to get an idea of how a good thesis proposal is supposed to look and to give you a better idea of what to do.

Significant advances in technological capacity have brought the world closer. While this is a positive aspect, it has also introduced a new kind of problem. Cyber-attacks are common features in the present internet age. Individuals and governments are at risk of being targeted, leading to studies involved in alleviating possible breakdown of society owing to its dependence on technology. The paper aims at determining the United States’ preparedness for cybercrime by looking at the nation’s best law enforcement agencies, the CIA and the FBI. By understanding the inner workings of these bodies with relation to cybercrime, the research aims at eliciting an understanding of issues that have been dealt with and showcasing emerging issues that threaten existing cybersecurity measures in a bid to improve them. Cybercrime has shown considerable advancement over the past, necessitating nationwide attention, where the Federal government should use its resources to ensure it is always up to date on matters concerning cybersecurity. In this way, the avenues used by cybercriminals are destroyed.

Introduction

The significant advancement made in internet technology has yielded a lot of aid in the development of certain aspects of the world relating to information technology. Ranging from medical studies to an intricate internet monetary system (Bitcoin has grown significantly over the past few years) internet development is at the core of modern civilization. As such, issues relating to the internet are of particular concern, especially to developed nations such as the U.S.A. In recent years, a new form of crime has developed due to the growth in internet usage. Cybercrime is a relatively new threat in the American system. Nations such as China and Russia have evidenced an inclination towards technological development, therefore, it is important to determine America’s preparedness for issues that deal with cyber-attacks. The issue can be seen to have dire consequences for economies as cybercriminals have in the past hacked into American corporations (incidences have been blamed on Russia and China). Well-established protocols should be put in place to deal with the growing threat that cannot be alleviated by traditional means of defense. The paper aims at determining if the U.S. is prepared in case of future cyberattacks as cybercriminals continue to increase on a global scale.

Therefore, cybercrime can be deemed as the newest threat to the development of nations in the internet era, which leads to the purpose of this study. It entails an intricate knowledge of writings on the issue and methods that can be used to determine the level of risk faced by an organization or government with regard to cyber attacks. In this way, the researcher aims at ascertaining the relevance of U.S.A. security against cybercrime.

Literature Review

Many scholars argue that governments, as seen by efforts of agencies such as FBI, have limited interest in developing countermeasures for cyber threats. While these institutions confer that the next leading global giants will undoubtedly have the best virtual network connectivity, most of them do not consider cybercrime as serious. In recent years, the United States (U.S) government has come up with various legislations regarding crime committed on cyberspace. While they have elicited some kind of response from the public, enacted legislation is inadequate in curbing cybercriminals. A good example of the limited focus on cyber security is evidenced in the restrictions placed on the FBI with regard to an iPhone that had potentially useful information due to a confidentiality clause.

Such issues should be considered when coming up with legislation concerning cybercrime. Nevertheless, such an issue showcased instances where the public views technological advancements of the government in curbing crime as the FBI hacked the suspect’s phone. It is important to note that a large portion of legislation targeting cyber criminals has been developed after individuals have committed a crime. This is particularly visible in the nation’s interest in cyberspace which developed after leaked information revealed that the Chinese government had hacked government systems in the U.S.A. for an unknown period of time. As such, the FBI has failed in this regard to protect citizens from cybercriminals. A large number of crimes dealing with the internet have led to leaked information concerning individuals such as social security numbers and credit card information. Therefore, loss of such information has led to an increase in crime where identity theft plays a crucial role in highlighting cyber-crime effects. Nevertheless, governments continue to downplay the importance of cyber security, since there is no clearly accepted definition of cyber warfare, cyberattacks and cybercrime. This leads to hackers being provided the opportunity to continue with their tasks unhindered, allowing them to progress faster than the law in this respect.

Furthermore, it is necessary to point out the diversity of cybercrime to better develop the issue. Cybercrime targets anyone without any form of consideration for age, sex, or financial status. A young child whose information has been stolen could be the victim in a social security fraud case. In this case, individuals use the child’s documents to open up new lines of credit thereby giving criminals revenue to conduct their activities which negatively affects the individuals in the future and the country. For such a victim, it is difficult to determine the source of the hack since most people realize these issues when they require credit such as when applying for a loan. In the same way, an organization may be threatened with leakage of information regarding a particular product that could potentially lead to loss of revenue. Multiplier effects of such hacks are immense, cutting across the economy as some people are at risk of losing their livelihoods.

Therefore, new laws enacted to protect people against cybercrime have led to a unanimous agreement by nations. This concerns the role of cyber security in eradicating cybercrime, showcasing its importance in a country. Mohammed and Mariani also agree as they emphasize for governments to adopt better measures of cybersecurity. To deter criminals, nations need to understand the implications of cybercrime in the communities involved. Rather than wait for a criminal occurrence to develop good countermeasures, they should invest a sizeable quantity of resources to the attainment of peak cybersecurity measures.

Theoretical Framework/Approach

A large number of studies related to cybercrime have focused on the ability of a country to mitigate cybercrime based on existing research and technological capabilities. However, this study aims to develop an understanding of the American system with regard to its readiness to deal with this form of crime. In this respect, the research will focus on the government’s primary law enforcement agency tasked with interior security (F.B.I) and their ability to prevent cybercriminals from operating in the U.S. It is important to ascertain the agency’s level of development in terms of computer expertise. Moreover, the CIA is tasked with external protection of the nation. The study will thus include measures taken by the CIA. in their pursuit of a nation without cybercriminals.

However, the key to determining the relevance of a nation’s systems in curbing cybercrime is the legislature where it needs to come up with severe penalties for perpetrators of these acts. As such, individuals who wish to become hackers will be less receptive to the allure of hacking as they consider the penalty as extremely high. This requires a nation to develop strong foreign policies dealing with cybercrime. Such systems act as a deterrent to foreign nationals who would wish to hack a country such as America due to the potential legal ramifications. In this manner, the number of white hat hackers is likely to increase thus contributing to a nation’s systems to counter cybercrime. As a large pool of individuals possesses skills that could potentially aid a government to prevent future attacks, it is important to look at the criminal system and how it deals with cybercriminals. Some of these individuals possess a significant number of skills that could improve cybersecurity when used in a positive manner. Therefore, rather than work against people with good computer skills, the government will work with them to boost the nation’s cyber security. This reduces the number of people in the prison system and provides the government with a proper labor force to maintain cyber security.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to consider the impact of integrating criminals into the justice system since it might have detrimental effects. These may arise because of nationalism. Individuals who hack American systems are less likely to be of American descent. Therefore, providing them with access to sensitive information could be disastrous if they continue exhibiting radical tendencies. However, for an agency or bureau to develop proper measures of security, there is a need to understand the mindset of cybercriminals. Offering these individuals incentives such as monetary compensation and reduced jail sentences could help mitigate against the aforementioned issues.

Research Design & Methods

The research will differ from the majority of studies by concentrating on non-experimental methods, specifically correlational research where the focus is on reduction of cybercrime in the nation as security systems continue to improve. With a certain focus on the American system, the study will encompass various studies in an attempt to find a connection between them. In this way, it will be possible to determine the manner in which the U.S. has survived a myriad of cyber attacks based on existing technology. Furthermore, this approach aids in showcasing a trend of the manner in which cybercrime is developing in contemporary societies. As such, the CIA and FBI come into focus. They are deemed the paramount institutions established by the U.S. in dealing with threats, both externally and internally and thus a review of the processes employed by both institutions is helpful in gauging American readiness for cyber warfare.

In recent years, various internet-based institutions have taken over the global markets. Bitcoin threatens the very existence of conventional financial instruments as it continues on an upward trend. Other actors such as Google have grown considerably over the past decade to become giant corporations. As such, the internet continues to broaden in its application to normal day life. It is, therefore prudent that the US government improve its cyber security to protect its organizations.

Moreover, it is impossible to come up with an accurate depiction of the nation’s state in terms of cybersecurity. This is because information regarding systems used by the CIA and FBI is highly classified. As such, the study can only base its arguments on technologies used by the F.B.I., that is, those that they evidence to the public as opposed to the one’s they do not reveal. It is also important to gauge the direction in which government institutions have gone in their attempts to deviate cybercriminals from criminal behavior. A recent issue concerning the hack of an iPhone belonging to the San Bernadino shooter is proof of the advancement in hacking technology within the government. It is possible to come up with an insightful view of the focus placed by governments, particularly the American government concerning cyber security by looking at budget records and trends in recent past. A rise in the value assigned to local agencies to deal with cyber threats shows increased interest in cyber security.

Cybercrime plays a huge role in modern societies. Many nations have claimed that whomever leads in technological capacity wields a large power. As such, while governments focus on physical threats, the study intends to ascertain their readiness for a cyber attack. With the U.S. as the primary source of information, the paper aims at developing an understanding into the digital world and ways that the government has, and should, use resources in creating impenetrable cyber security systems.

Seek Thesis Proposal Help

At this point, it is important to point out that writing a thesis proposal is never easy. Indeed, many are university students who get stuck even before getting started. But you cannot give up because the proposal is the gateway to crafting a great thesis. Therefore, you should seek writing help from professionals.

The experts have been writing thesis proposals and other tasks that students fund tough to handle. In addition to being experts in different fields, they know what works and what does not. So, they are your best bet to crafting a great proposal and, finally, the best thesis to impress the evaluation committee. We are the best master thesis writing service online, and are as reliable as it gets!

Thesis Proposal FAQ

Make PhD experience your own

How to write a thesis proposal

I. Framework II. Structure of a thesis proposal III. Order in which to write the proposal IV. Tips V. Resources

I. Framework

II. Structure of a thesis proposal

III. Order in which to write the proposal

Grammar/spelling

V. Resources/Acknowlegements

The senior seminar website has a very detailed document on " How to write a thesis " which you might want to look at. Most of the tips given there are relevant for your thesis proposal as well. Recommended books on scientific writing Some of the material on this page was adapted from: http://www.geo.utep.edu/Grad_Info/prop_guide.html http://www.hartwick.edu/anthropology/proposal.htm http://csdl.ics.hawaii.edu/FAQ/FAQ/thesis-proposal.html http://www.butler.edu/honors/PropsTheses.html

IMAGES

My thesis proposal
20+ Proposal Template Sample
Thesis Proposal Sample Format
Thesis Proposal Sample Timeline For Research Proposal
My Thesis Proposal 6
Thesis Proposal

VIDEO

Thesis proposal presentation tips!
My Thesis Proposal. Walkthrough Library
Food Trucks For Birds Kickstarter Art project in progress day three
Thesis/ Capstone Film Proposal
How To Read A Paper Quickly & Effectively
MIT Media Arts + Technology Thesis Proposal Lightning Talk

COMMENTS

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates - Scribbr
A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research. The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements: Title page; Introduction; Literature review; Research design; Reference list
How to Write a Thesis Proposal: A Detailed Guide [2021 Update]
How to write a thesis proposal? 1. Outlining 2. Defining a structure 3. Planning your writing 4. Writing the thesis proposal 5. Proofreading your proposal Use a thesis proposal template For grad students, the most important proposal in the world is the thesis proposal.
How To Write A Thesis Proposal | Writing Guide And Example
How to Write a Thesis Proposal Craft Your Abstract This is a brief summary of the entire proposal. We recommend that you do the abstract as the last... Define Your Topic and Create a Working Title This is the first and the most important step in writing your proposal for... Write Your ...
How to write a thesis proposal - Lamont–Doherty Earth ...
The purpose of writing a thesis proposal is to demonstrate that the thesis topic addresses a significant environmental problem; an organized plan is in place for collecting or obtaining data to help solve the problem; methods of data analysis have been identified and are appropriate to the data set.
Writing a Dissertation Proposal - Guaranteed Satisfaction
Choose the type of paper you need written, the number of pages, deadline and other requirements. Select a writer from the list and contact a few of them via our live chat function to help you make your final choice. Add funds to your balance and writer will start working on your paper.
Thesis Services - Specialists in Dissertations
If you need more time, discover the best thesis writing services for 2022 If you have to write a dissertation, a thesis or a complete paper you can use writing service options. Dissertation writing is a complex matter and most students need professional help from a safe and affordable service.
Thesis Writing Services - Dissertation writing help
EssayPro provides dissertation writing help across a multitude of different subjects and disciplines (law, economics, ethics, philosophy, political theory and sciences). The writers are friendly and fast on delivery, with fast turnaround time as quick as a 6-hour time frame.
Business Dissertation Help - Thesis Services
How to write a dissertation abstract. It’s even more difficult to select a worthy company when you need help with a complex assignment, like a dissertation. Keep on reading to find out what websites have made it to the top of our rating by providing a high quality of writing with no plagiarism.
Examples of Dissertation - Help Write Essay
EssayPro's paper writing service is easy-to-use, with access to customer support 24/7. We can answer your questions about writers, possible completion dates, types of assignments we cover, and the security of your personal information, which we take extremely seriously.
Dissertation Helper - 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Sometimes known as a thesis (in some countries, this term is used only for the final assignments of PhD degrees, while in other countries ‘thesis’ and ‘dissertation’ are interchangeable), a dissertation is a research project completed as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree Get Started Types of dissertation