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What makes a good thesis?

First and foremost, a good thesis is the final result of your thesis proposal and
should show the committee that further writing will continue with the research
outlined in your proposal. A good thesis will prove that your work is important
and relevant. The thesis should also show that you are confident that you have
the right approach and tools to solve the proposed problem.

This how-to will tell you how to write a thesis proposal


in 5 simple steps

We’ll go the extra mile by providing you with an easy-to-swipe, free thesis
proposal template that you allow you to simply fill in the blanks.
Here are the points we’ll cover in this how-to:

1. Outlining
2. Knowing the structure
3. Planning the writing
4. Writing the thesis proposal
5. Proofing your proposal

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Outlining
Your thesis proposal starts with outlining the materials you’ve gathered. This is
very important because the thesis proposal is as much for your benefit as it is
your instructor. If you can carefully outline the parts of the thesis, you can
follow the outline in conducting the research to develop the actual project.

What your instructor is likely looking for is evidence in your proposal that you
understand the process of research. Making it clear that your research will
incorporate reviewing and integrating relevant literature is big part of the
proposal.

To do this most effectively, you need to know the structure of a thesis


proposal.

Step 2: Knowing the structure


You need to know the common structure of a thesis proposal. The typical
parts are as follows:
1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Existing literature/significant prior research
4. Thesis or project statement
5. Approach
6. Potential outcomes
7. Limitations
8. Contributions to knowledge
9. Proposed dissertation chapters

Step 3: Planning your writing


The best way to put together an organized thesis proposal is to organize how
you will write it before you get started. Many thesis proposals have been
rejected simply because the students didn’t plan their writing and instead tried
to hack it all together. If you attempt that, it will show, and the thesis proposal
is likely to be rejected.
Don’t let that happen to you. Plan the flow of your writing — and stick to the
plan!

The usual flow of writing a thesis proposal is as follows:


1. Outline
2. Prepare visuals (any charts or tables)
3. Describe methodology
4. Explanation of data
5. Conclusions drawn from you data
6. Introduction
7. Abstract
8. References
9. Wait a minute! Looks backwards, huh?

Note that the writing of the thesis proposal does not follow the actual
structure of the thesis proposal. Simply put, how can you write an abstract if
you do not know what the research actually says?

You have to write out of sequence to be able to create an accurate


introduction and abstract.

Step 4: Writing the thesis proposal


Once you’ve planned your writing, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get it
done! Thesis proposals are writing in formal style, which is what sets them
apart from many other types of proposals.

Although the proposal will be in formal style, it is still important to keep it


simple — work towards concision while maintaining academic objectivity,
leveraging readability.
You will thus want to avoid the first and second grammatical person, and
maintain the objective in all aspects of the thesis proposal except the thesis
statement itself, which can usually contain a first person reference to you.
Before writing that type of thesis statement though, you should consult with
your instructor.

Step 5: Proofing your proposal


A thesis proposal is no place for typos or poor readability. If you show your
proposal to a fellow student or friend and they have a hard time
understanding what you are trying to say, even though they are in your field,
you will want to revise.

The best practices for thoroughly proofing a thesis proposal are as follows:
 Read the proposal to yourself (aloud!) — you’ll spot problems with
grammar and sentence structure more easily this way
 Do not proof it immediately after writing it – give your brain a rest so you
can view it objectively
 Ask at least three friends/colleagues with an understanding of the material
to proof it for you
 Use more than one spellchecker
 Remember, your future depends on the successful acceptance of your thesis
proposal. Make sure you eliminate all grammatical errors to give it the best
shot.

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Top insights to improve your proposal workflow in 2019

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5 helpful tips to write a better thesis
If you know how to write a business plan or even how to
write PhD dissertation proposal — then you are very lucky. But in most cases,
many need help.

These 5 tips hope to relieve the pain that is thesis writing.

1. Know the requirements

Review all the requirements for your thesis with your supervisor before you
get started. If he or she defines the length of the final paper, you’ll need to
also work out the other requirements of the thesis. Things like font, spaces,
eccetera are likely important too.
For example:

There is a big difference between a thesis that is 200 pages with 12 point font versus the same length at 14
point font. One is much easier and one is much harder to read.

2. Constantly check your work

Much of your thesis work will entail editing. As soon as you start your thesis,
you’ll realize that the more work you do, the more difficult it is to go back and
review it. Remember that rewriting will take up a huge chunk of time, and
that’s okay as this naturally happens with these kinds of projects. Professional
writers can easily attest to this. Also, be mindful of developing your own style
of writing.

3. Don’t leave questions unanswered

The original purpose of your thesis was to find solutions to a certain problem,
wasn’t it?

But even within your research, you will discover that there will always more
questions to be answered. Do not ignore them. Draw additional attention to
those questions in your conclusion — it may provide you with a base for
separate work.
Remember:

If you open up new questions, make every attempt to resolve them.

4. Keep a list of references from the start

A lot of people make the same mistake – not all citations appear in the
references section. Before you submit your thesis, tripple check each and every
one of your citations and references. To make this a lot easier on yourself, start
a reference record as soon as you start drafting your thesis.
Pro tip:

There are special software and tools on the market to help you save a ton of time doing this mundane task.

5. Don’t be afraid of useful apps

You need to plan, organize, and structure all of your tasks with clearly defined
due dates. This is where a project planning tool can help a ton. In general, they
can offer a Gantt chart approach or a Kanban board. All you have to do is
decide which method is best for you and your work. Rest assured, most of the
tools will keep all your tasks and deadlines on time and readily available.
Hopefully, they will improve your work on your thesis with little distraction.

There is one last advantage of using specialized apps during your thesis
writing, they will prepare you to use professional tools like the Salesforce
AppExchange. Without apps like Salesforce many small businesses, would be
lost and in total chaos. These tools work to streamline and simplify many
business processes.

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