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Preparing the Dissertation Proposal

The first part of the second comprehensive examination assesses the student’s mastery of the literature and, therefore, a comprehensive literature review is not necessary in the dissertation proposal itself. The literature review in the proposal should be designed to justify the importance of (and need for) the proposed study and it therefore will be quite narrow and tailored to a discussion of the problem at hand.

The proposal should have the following components:

• An "introduction" or section that introduces the topic, describes the theoretical orientation, and identifies the problem or issue to be addressed in the dissertation.

• A "literature review" section that reviews the previous research that is directly relevant to the proposed study (the literature review in the final dissertation will be much more comprehensive than is necessary at the proposal stage).

• A section that concisely explains the "research questions" and the way in which they will be addressed.

• A "data and methodology" section that should be the most substantial section of the proposal. The data and methodology should be described in enough detail that the committee fully understands exactly what it is that you propose to do in your own research. At a minimum, the data and methodology should include a detailed discussion of your:

o Population and sample
o Sampling/Subject selection criteria
o Independent and dependent variables
o Instrument (if necessary)
o Methodology
o Data analysis techniques to be utilized

• A concluding section that discusses how your study will make a "contribution to the literature"

The length of the dissertation proposal will vary based on a number of factors (most notably the complexity of the methodology). That said, a long proposal is not necessarily better than a shorter one. The best proposals have ranged from 25 – 50 double-spaced pages in length. Students are encouraged to view one or more of the model proposals available in the doctoral program office prior to drafting their own proposal.

As you work on your dissertation proposal, you should seek regular feedback from your mentor. Prior to scheduling the second examination, be sure that you have received feedback from each of the members of your committee.

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