What is a dissertation proposal?
The research proposal for your dissertation may also be called a research plan. It describes what or who you want to examine, why, when, where and how.
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Example of a research problem definition
Your definition of a problem should serve as the basis for formulating a problem statement and objective. Thereafter you can move on to identifying your main research question.
The below example of a problem definition relates to a dissertation that explores a practical problem. It has been written using our guide to writing a problem definition.
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How to define a research problem for your dissertation
Defining the problem you will address in your research (and why!) is one of the most important steps in writing a dissertation.
A good problem definition will also lead to a clear problem statement and dissertation objective and help you to get to formulate appropriate research questions.
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How to set an objective for your dissertation
The objective of your dissertation explains why you are undertaking your research. It should describe what you specifically want to achieve through your investigation and what you will study. You should identify this objective as part of your problem definition.
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How to write a dissertation proposal?
Before you start writing your dissertation, you will need to create a plan – which is often referred to as a research proposal.
Having a good proposal is half the battle, as it’s the thread that you will follow throughout the writing process!
The main goal of the dissertation proposal is to describe what you are going to investigate and how you will do so.
It should include an overview of the literature, a problem statement and research question, your research methodology, and the main sources and references you will use.
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Methodology of your dissertation
The methodology of your dissertation describes how you will carry out your investigation. For example, are you going to use a survey or will you stick to a literature review?
Your goal is to answer the question: “How can the research best be done?”
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How to create a research design
A research design (or research strategy) describes how you will approach the investigation for your dissertation. It constitutes part of your research proposal.
Before you can create a research design, you first need to formulate a problem statement, a main research question and sub-questions. So, first define the problem.
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Formulating hypotheses in your dissertation
Hypotheses are helpful if your dissertation involves determining whether a specific prediction about the relationship between variables is correct. They often take the place of sub-questions.
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Sub-questions in a dissertation
A main research question usually cannot be answered all at once. That’s why sub-questions are important: they allow you to answer your main question in a step-by-step manner.
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Examples of main research questions for a dissertation
The main research question is the most important part of your dissertation. Reviewing our criteria is an easy way to determine whether your main question is good or bad.
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