Thesis Proposal Template

Learn how to structure your Thesis Proposal at the start of the Activation Phase

Thesis Proposal Template


1. Title

  • A clear and concise title that summarizes your research topic.

2. Introduction

  • Topic Overview: Provide brief context for your research area.
  • Problem Statement: Identify the specific issue or gap your research will address.
  • Research Objectives: Define what your research aims to achieve.
  • Research Questions: State the main question(s) guiding your study.

3. Literature Review

  • Summarize the key studies or theories related to your topic.
  • Highlight the research gap your study will address.
  • Focus on how your research builds on or diverges from existing work.

4. Methodology

  • Research Approach: Specify qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods.
  • Data Collection: Describe how you’ll gather your data (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments).
  • Data Analysis: Explain your strategy for analyzing the data.
  • Study Scope: Outline the population, dataset, or focus area of your research.

5. Expected Outcomes

  • Describe what you hope to discover or demonstrate.
  • Mention how your findings might contribute to your field or solve the problem.

6. Timeline

  • Provide a simple breakdown of your research phases (e.g., literature review, data collection, analysis, writing).
  • Use bullet points or a brief table for clarity.

7. References

  • List the key references you’ve already identified, formatted in your university’s required citation style.

Formatting Tips:

  • Keep the proposal to 3–5 pages.
  • Use clear, concise language to focus on the essentials.
  • Include only what is needed to convey the purpose, method, and plan for your research.