Dissertation proposals are an age-old aspect of the dissertation-writing process. Although most people don’t like the rigorous pre-planning that is associated with the proposal, it is an unavoidable part of being a graduate student. The guidelines might be looser for undergraduate dissertations, but you should write a dissertation proposal outline regardless of the type of dissertation, if only because it will allow you to organize your thoughts in a reasonable manner.
If you want to write your dissertation in the most painless way possible, you will want to chunk it up into smaller pieces. This proposal outline is just one of the many tiny parts that will come together to create your dissertation.
What is a Proposal?
As you probably already know, a dissertation proposal encompasses both a summary and a suggestion. It is the very first building block to what will eventually become an epic volume — your dissertation.
Some might consider the dissertation proposals an after thought. Even more so, this line of thinking applies to dissertation proposal outlines. Surely, says the skeptic, one need not outline a proposal.
This is a myth.
Outline everything.
Hints on Outlines in General
You can apply a lot of this information to your general outline as well, but they are especially important facts to keep in mind when writing dissertation proposal outlines.
- Be consistent in your notation. You can have points for every chapter, section, or paragraph (although some methods have greater usability than others), but regardless of what you choose, make sure that you stay consistent.
- Start general and become more specific. A rough, complete outline will be more helpful to you than an intensely detailed by incomplete outline. You don’t have to focus on the minute details, especially if you are writing a dissertation proposal outline.
- Include the most important aspects of your topic. A large portion of what is included in your dissertation proposal relies on your own concepts of important information. With outlines in general, your focus will be on the most important information and research.
Getting feedback
When writing up your proposal, see if you can have someone else look at it. When working with your outline, any academic should suffice. Simply ask them if it makes sense when they read it — if your outline makes sense, you are one step nearer to having a completed dissertation.
It is always good to start strong early. Beginning with a weak foundation inevitably leads to the downfall of your dissertation.
