Writing Thesis and
Dissertation Proposals
A presentation by
The Graduate Writing Center
of the
Center for Excellence in Writing
Writing Thesis and
Dissertation Proposals
Instructor: Rosalyn Collings Eves
Graduate Writing Center Coordinator
rmc216@psu.edu
Goals of this workshop
To introduce strategies for bridging the gap
between coursework/beginning research and
thesis writing.
To help you understand the rhetorical
situation of the thesis proposal and common
elements of such proposals.
To introduce practical rhetorical and
grammatical principles of writing effective
proposals.
To provide you with tips for drafting and
revising individual sections of the proposal.
The Graduate Writing Center
One-on-one consultations
All types of writing
All stages of the writing process
To schedule, see the Center’s website:
http://www.psu.edu/dept/cew/grad/gwc.htm
Or go directly to the online schedule:
https://secure.gradsch.psu.edu/wccal/studentview.cfm
Writing a Proposal:
Developing a Focused Project
Writing Thesis/Dissertation Proposals:
The Big Picture
Your proposal describes your proposed plan of work:
What you intend to study (scope and research
questions).
How you intend to study your topic (methodology).
Why this topic needs to be studied (significance).
When you will complete this work (timeline).
(Occasionally) Where you will conduct this work.
Writing Thesis/Dissertation Proposals
Purpose:
Justify and plan (or contract for) a research project.
Show how your project contributes to existing research.
Demonstrate that you understand how to conduct
discipline-specific research in an acceptable time-frame.
Audience:
your academic advisor and committee
Proposal Writing and Anxiety:
General Advice
Establish a writing schedule.
Begin by free-writing.
Keep a small notebook with you...