Which topics should be covered in your proposal?

The following is a list of the topics which should be covered in your proposal: 

• Title of the Project: 

The title of the project should be a short descriptive phrase that will help potential readers locate the dissertation. Long, cumbersome titles which contain descriptions of the procedures, subjects, or research instrumentation should be unacceptable. I recommend that the title is limited to 12 words or less. With the development of computerized literature searching procedures, there has been an effort

to change the nature of the title from long description statements to statements containing “Key” words that will help others locate your project through computerized title searches. I suggest to you that they list the three to four “Key” words that might be utilized by others to locate the project and then attempt to incorporate these “Key” words into the title. 

As a rule of thumb, you should avoid all of the following common mistakes: 1) Do not utilize phrases like “A study of...” or “An examination of...” (it should be obvious to anyone that you are doing a study or an examination of something); 2) Do not exceed 12 words; and 3) Include as many “key” words as possible within the 12 word limitation.  

• Approval Forms: 

The first few pages of the proposal should contain a title sheet, a committee approval form, an approval form for dealing with human subjects, and a table of contents.

•  Introduction to the Research Problem: 

This section of the proposal should present a brief overview of the project topic area, including a historical analysis. The major variables to be considered in the project should be introduced. 

• The Purpose and Objectives: 

This section of the proposal should present a short paragraph which states the exact purpose or relationships which are to be examined in the project. Following the short paragraph description of the purpose of the study, you should present the objectives of the research. 

• Rationale: 

In this section of the proposal, you should present a one to two-page rationale for each of your research objectives. 

• Literature Review: 

This part of the project proposal should be approximately one page in length and should summarize for the committee the main areas to be included in your analysis of the literature in the completed project. 

• Definition of Terms: 

This section of the proposal should present your definitions of the principal terms of the project. 

• Null-Hypotheses: 

This section of the proposal should present a list of the null-hypotheses to be tested in the completed project. 

• Description of the Subjects: 

This section of the proposal should present a description of the subjects you envision using the project. You should also present a table which will demonstrate how the various groups to be used in the study will be matched and described. You should give some attention to the sample size of thestudy, including how many subjects you will test and how many dropouts aare expected

in the course of the study.

• Description of the Research Instrumentation: 

This section of the proposal should describe the various research instruments to be used in the study. Your presentation should include an analysis of the reliability and validity of the various instruments. 

• Procedures: 

In this section of the proposal, you should present the envision project procedures. 

• Delimitations of the Study: 

You should present in this section of the proposal an analysis of the ways in which you have purposefully restricted the scope of the study. 

• Limitations of the Study: 

You should present in this section of the proposal an analysis of the ways in which ‘your study has been restricted by logistics or impositions that were beyond your control. 

• Analysis of Data: 

You should present in this section of the proposal a description of your envisioned data analysis procedures. 

• Chart Overview of the Project: 

This section of the proposal (optional) should present a chart that relates the objectives of the research to the null-hypotheses, instrumentation, data analysis, and results. 

• Time Schedule: 

You should present in this section of the proposal a time schedule for; completion of the project. 

• Bibliography: 

You should present in the bibliography your references, cited and uncited. 

• Appendices: 

All research instruments should be presented in the appendix. Raw data, photographs, and other related data can be placed in the appendix. The appendix should have a cover sheet with the centered heading Appendix, eg., Appendix A (A,B, C,D) for each appendix page used.