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Proposal Guidelines

What should your proposal look like? Your proposal should be approximately 5 pages in length, excluding the cover sheet and supporting appendices.

  1. Cover Sheet: Name, ID, contact information, first & second readers.
  2. Introduction: Briefly state the purpose and goals of the thesis project. (1 para.)
  3. State of the Research: Any thesis should be based on a thorough review of the literature, demonstrating an awareness of relevant work on the topic. Provide an overview and critique of significant research on the topic of the thesis project, making note of general trends, major omissions, and/or neglected emphases. Situate the thesis project within this overview by identifying how it will contribute to the body of knowledge on the topic. (2 pages)
  4. Methodology: Provide an overview of applicable theoretical, conceptual, and/or methodological approaches to the topic of the thesis project. Situate the thesis project within these general trends: identify which approach(es) will be used in researching and analyzing the topic, or how the applied methodological approach relates to other methods. (2 pages)
  5. Conclusion: Emphasize the contributions that the thesis project will provide. Discuss what new knowledge it will produce, and why it is worth knowing. (1 para.)
  6. Appendices:

Thesis Outline: Produce a tentative and brief outline of the chapters, sections, and/or subsections of the thesis project.

Timetable: Provide a tentative and brief timeline for the thesis project, listing approximate times devoted to research and to writing, and a realistic date for completion of the written thesis.

Bibliography: List all publications cited in the proposal, and other publications to be consulted upon beginning the thesis project. Distinguish between primary source materials and secondary studies. Format the bibliography to MLA or Turabian guidelines.