SURVIVING YOUR THESIS PROPOSAL

Though this is not an extensive guideline of a thesis proposal, it is based on assumptions derived from the Triad (Quality of Research, Significance of Work and Style of your work) Assessment option. Keep in mind that also at this stage the presentation of your work has to be in line with Harvard Styling ,your University’s guidelines and alternatively hints can be driven from APA Documenting Manual. Try to follow them.

1. Title and Cover Page (follow the APA documentation). The first title is tentative and is used only to guide your work; normally is a result of a preliminary literature review, studying carefully the “wishes of the assignment” and incorporating knowledge acquired during this module. The final title is a result of deep scanning in the literature and your paper, but must not be radical different from the first title.
2. Abstract(you write it when you finish the paper but you present it second)
3. Content page with number of pages
4. Introduction

1. Preliminary analysis and explanation of the main concepts in your title and the unit of analysis (company, concept, country etc) along with the “assignment wishes”.
2. Why you study this project-the rationale(derives from literature review)

• Thesis question(s) in bullets, What you will examine in this paper

1. Conceptual Framework/Literature Review(the theories and concepts you are using in order to justify your thesis/arguments and present the literature relevant to the questions set in the introduction that help you to conclude your arguments in the next part)
2. Research Design/Methodology(State the decisions upon: Research Philosophy, Research Approach, Research Strategy, Time Horizons, Data Collection, Data Analysis)
3. Proposed Timeframe (use a Gantt Chart).
4. Expected Findings(what you expect to achieve: the answers to the questions set in introduction point 4.iii as in relation to the company/country/unit of analysis selected)
5. Conclusion(summary of your findings in relation to questions set in the introduction and further suggestions or omissions)
6. Referencing/Bibliography(Using the Harvard Style meaning Author-Date[Surname-Year-Page] present a list with possible readings

For the overall form of your project while is not usually stated, I recommend you to follow your University’s Guidelines when given otherwise APA Style of Documentation. Remember here that consistency is usually the general rule.

When you finish writing read again and wonder:

1. Where did I find this or the other info provided (referencing)?
2. Did I answer to the questions set in the assignment?
3. Did I answer to the questions I set?
4. Are all the individual parts of my project (Introduction, Theoretical Framework, Discussion, and Conclusion) balanced among them and have a sub-introduction and sub-conclusion?
5. What is my contribution to the overall knowledge of the specific subject/thesis?
6. My references are other than the course material and the majority comes from scholarly journals and academic books.(Did I use the library and e-library).