How you should structure and write a dissertation research proposal?

PhD Thesis / Dissertation Research proposal would be the first academic research at the Doctoral Level. Moreover, it is the most important document in the application for studies.

A research proposal is what you propose to do or what you intend to research.
2nd: why you would do it, and what is the point?
3rd: What do you hope to achieve?

However, to answer the above questions, you must able to justify your research proposal in light of the literature and what this indicates about the state of knowledge in your field. This is commonly known as the ‘gap’ in our knowledge. If you are ready with this, the next step would be to describe how you will conduct the research. Thus, your research proposal should able to reflect

1. WHAT – You are going to research
2. WHY – you are going to research this particular area
3. WHAT – is the significance of research this area
4. HOW you are going to conduct the research

Although there will be a variation for setting out a research proposal, the major differences will be dictated by the kind of research you are undertaking – Primary or secondary research.

Secondary research – Collecting your own empirical data but utilizing existing data that someone else has collected, recorded and analysed. But this needs strong justification and theoretical framework. Mostly applied in sociology, history, legal and politics

Primary research – Collecting original data through experiments, questionnaires, surveys or through interviews. This is called Empirical research. In your doctorate or PhD research proposal, you need to explain in brief about Who or What you are going to access information and how you are going to collect or obtain it. Further, with reference to data collected, you also need to say what you are going to do with the data and how it will be processed and analysed. Thus, you need to include a research methodology and research design section as well.