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How to write a thesis proposal

I. Framework

II. Structure of a thesis proposal

III. Order in which to write the proposal

IV. Tips

V. Resources

I. Framework

Senior research projects in Environmental Sciences have the following elements in

common:

1.

An environmental issue is identified.

2.

Other people's work on the topic is collected and evaluated.

3.

Data necessary to solving the problem are either collected by the student, or

obtained independently.

4.

Data are analyzed using techniques appropriate to the data set.

5.

Results of the analysis are reported and are interpreted in light of the initial

environmental issue.

The final outcome of this process is a senior thesis that you will complete in the spring

semester. The goal of the fall semester is that you identify a research topic, find a

research mentor, formulate a hypothesis, understand the background of your project,

develop or adapt appropriate methods, and summarize the state of your project as a thesis

proposal. The goal is to progress as far as possible with the elements listed above during

the fall semester. The more you can accomplish during the fall, the further you can drive

the project in the end, and the more relaxed the spring semester is going to be for you

(and us).

The purpose of writing a thesis proposal is to demonstrate that

1.

The thesis topic addresses a significant environmental problem;

2.

An organized plan is in place for collecting or obtaining data to help solve the

problem;

3.

Methods of data analysis have been identified and are appropriate to the data set.

If you can outline these points clearly in a proposal, then you will be able to focus on a

research topic and finish it rapidly. A secondary purpose of the proposal is to train you

in the art of proposal writing. Any future career in Environmental Sciences, whether it be

in industry or academia will require these skills in some form.

We are well aware that the best laid out research plans may go awry, and that the best

completed theses sometimes bear only little resemblance to the thesis planned during the

proposal. Therefore, when evaluating a thesis proposal, we are not trying to assure

ourselves that you have clearly described a sure-fire research project with 0% risk of

failure. (If there was no risk of failure, it wouldn't be research.)

Instead, what we're interested in seeing is if you have a clear handle on the

process

and

structure

of research as it's practiced by our discipline. If you can present a clear and

reasonable thesis idea, if you can clearly relate it to other relevant literature, if you can

justify its significance, if you can describe a method for investigating it, and if you can

decompose it into a sequence of steps that lead toward a reasonable conclusion, then the

thesis proposal is a success regardless of whether you modify or even scrap the actual

idea down the line and start off in a different direction. What a successful thesis proposal

demonstrates is that, regardless of the eventual idea you pursue, you know the steps

involved in turning it into a thesis.

II. Structure of a thesis proposal

Your thesis proposal should have the following elements in this order.

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Title page

Abstract

Table of contents

Introduction

Thesis statement

Approach/methods

Preliminary results and discussion

Work plan including time table

Implications of research

List of references

The structure is very similar to that of a thesis or a scientific paper. You will be able to

use a large fraction of the material of the thesis proposal in your final senior thesis. Of

course, the state of the individual projects at the end of the fall will vary, and therefore

also the format of the elements discussed below.

Title page

contains short, descriptive title of the proposed thesis project (should be fairly

self-explanatory)

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and author, institution, department, research mentor, mentor's institutio

n, and date

of delivery

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Abstract

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the abstract is a brief summary of your thesis proposal

its length should not exceed ~200 words

present a brief introduction to the issue

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make the key statement of your thesis

give a summary of how you want to address the issue

include a possible implication of your work, if successfully completed

Table of contents

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list all headings and subheadings with page numbers

indent subheadings

Introduction

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this section sets the context for your proposed project and must capture the

reader's interest

explain the background of your study starting from a broad picture narrowing in

on your research question

review what is known about your research topic as far as it is relevant to your

thesis

cite relevant references

the introduction should be at a level that makes it easy to understand for readers

with a general science background, for example your classmates

Thesis statement

in a couple of sentences, state your thesis

this statement can take the form of a hypothesis, research question, project

statement, or goal statement

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the thesis statement should capture the essence of your intended project and also

help to put boundaries around it

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Approach/methods

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this section contains an overall description of your approach, materials, and

procedures

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what methods will be used?

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how will data be collected and analyzed?

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what materials will be used?

include calculations, technique, procedure, equipment, and calibration graphs

detail limitations, assumptions, and range of validity

citations should be limited to data sources and more complete descriptions of

procedures

do not include results and discussion of results here

Preliminary results and discussion

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present any results you already have obtained

discuss how they fit in the framework of your thesis