How to write a Synopsis

Dhenuka Nandhu
 Definition
• Synopsis is the gist of your planned project
submitted for approval from competent
authorities. It gives a panoramic view of
your research for quick analysis by the reviewers.
Thus, a protocol or a synopsis forms an integral
part of a research project or a thesis.
• It may be 2 to 3 pages of written matter, sketches
and photographs wherever necessary.
 Components of a synopsis
• Title
• Introduction
• Aim
• Objectives
• Hypothesis
• Methodology
• Philosophies
• Justification
• Deliverables
• Organization/ Work schedule
• Scope/outcome
• Conclusion
• References
 Title
• A quick and brief single line or part of a phrase
that describes the entire project as its
essence.
• May not exceed a word limit of 20 words.
• Mentioned in bold and underlined.
• Eg. Alternative approach to building and
construction in Hot dry climatic zones as in
cities like Abu Dhabi
 Introduction
• A short paragraph describing the context and the
history of the entire project. It would do good if the
introduction answers the following questions.
• Where is it set?
• What community it serves?
• What is its community context?
• Who are the people associated with-the stake holders
• Is it a live proposal? If so where is the site located?
• What is the story behind the project?
• Who are the end users?
• What are the problems you face in the site?
 Aim

• it us a single line describing what you aim to do

with the project.
• It is a single line of words not more than 35.
• The trick is to describe everything that goes into
the project within that one liner.
• Eg. My aim is to develop the riverside project
hence developing the area for fisherman of the
local communities revive their occupation with
the help of structures provided that may float
into the river also like a pod in order to enable
them to use it during the times of disaster.
 Objectives

• A compilation of a few sentences listed one

after the other which crisply describe what
you are going to do i.e. what are the points
you want to reach as end results
• The objectives must reach you to the end of
the project and describe for you exactly what
needs to be done until the end result is
reached.
 Hypothesis

• It is a single line which presents the gist of the

entire project may be 50 to 60 words.
• The hypothesis may be verified or falsified.
• The relevance of the hypothesis to the project is
the most important part of the project as it
makes or breaks an argument around which is
projected as the hypothesis.
• Eg. People living inside circular spaces have more
memory than those living in rectangular spaces.
• This sentence may be true or false according to
your observations on site. `
 Methodology

• There are so many methodologies used for

supporting your argument in the hypothesis
stage.
• These are exclusively research methods that may
come in handy while solving the design problem.
• Eg. Qualitative methods and quantitative
methods, visual documentation, observational
studies, interviewing people on site, archival
research etc
 Philosophies
• The philosophies shall be the guiding light to decode
the project and its problems.
• The philosophies are the main problem solving tools
which may lead you to the right kind of solution.
• You may follow any one philosophy that is close to your
heart to give you an al encompassing solution to the
problem at hand.
• You may write about the philosophy at length with just
one heading.
• Eg. Post modernism, deconstruction, structuralism,
functionalism, critical regionalism etc.
 Justification
• This is the most important part of the project
where you will use the philosophy to justify or
falsify the hypothesis – i.e. make It true or
false.
• You may write intensively at length about the
justification may be a few paragraphs
explaining how the entire project works and
what end result is coming into being.
 Deliverables

• These are what you are going to produce at

the end of the project.
• It maybe a design for a residence using a
certain concept or it may be a hospital or
airport.
• The drawings and models for these design
projects are also the important deliverables.
 Organization/ Work schedule

• You have to make a CPM or PERT chart for

organizing your work around a certain deadline
• It supports construction manufacture and
maintenance
• Works for High scale and also low scale projects
• You need to do planning, scheduling and
controlling of the work in progress with the help
of these tools as CPM.
 Scope/outcome

• In order to determine the scope of the project

some analysis needs to be done
• You need to precisely describe what the project
stands for and what is its use in the society.
• There is always a good or bad outcome to any
task.
• You may do a SWOT analysis of the project and
supply an outcome which may be beneficial to
the community and how it is so.
 Conclusion

• You need to summarize the entire synopsis as

a conclusion .
• The conclusion should carry all the events that
are associated with the project and how it is
going to reach a fruitful end.
• The conclusion should give an end to the
synopsis with a meaning and a paragraph
totally dedicated to how you will finish with a
flourish.
 References
• You need to provide the source of all
information related to and that which you
have used in the project synopsis
• The references may be books, internet sites,
conference proceedings, or journals.
• They must be neatly formatted according to
Yale or Oxford methods of referencing.
Thank you