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How to Write a Dissertation Proposal | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on 14 February 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 11 November 2022.

A dissertation proposal describes the research you want to do: what it’s about, how you’ll conduct it, and why it’s worthwhile. You will probably have to write a proposal before starting your dissertation as an undergraduate or postgraduate student.

A dissertation proposal should generally include:

• An introduction to your topic and aims
• A literature review  of the current state of knowledge
• An outline of your proposed methodology
• A discussion of the possible implications of the research
• A bibliography  of relevant sources

Dissertation proposals vary a lot in terms of length and structure, so make sure to follow any guidelines given to you by your institution, and check with your supervisor when you’re unsure.

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Table of contents

Step 1: coming up with an idea, step 2: presenting your idea in the introduction, step 3: exploring related research in the literature review, step 4: describing your methodology, step 5: outlining the potential implications of your research, step 6: creating a reference list or bibliography.

Before writing your proposal, it’s important to come up with a strong idea for your dissertation.

Find an area of your field that interests you and do some preliminary reading in that area. What are the key concerns of other researchers? What do they suggest as areas for further research, and what strikes you personally as an interesting gap in the field?

Once you have an idea, consider how to narrow it down and the best way to frame it. Don’t be too ambitious or too vague – a dissertation topic needs to be specific enough to be feasible. Move from a broad field of interest to a specific niche:

• Russian literature 19th century Russian literature The novels of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky
• Social media Mental health effects of social media Influence of social media on young adults suffering from anxiety

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Like most academic texts, a dissertation proposal begins with an introduction . This is where you introduce the topic of your research, provide some background, and most importantly, present your aim , objectives and research question(s) .

Try to dive straight into your chosen topic: What’s at stake in your research? Why is it interesting? Don’t spend too long on generalisations or grand statements:

• Social media is the most important technological trend of the 21st century. It has changed the world and influences our lives every day.
• Psychologists generally agree that the ubiquity of social media in the lives of young adults today has a profound impact on their mental health. However, the exact nature of this impact needs further investigation.

Once your area of research is clear, you can present more background and context. What does the reader need to know to understand your proposed questions? What’s the current state of research on this topic, and what will your dissertation contribute to the field?

If you’re including a literature review, you don’t need to go into too much detail at this point, but give the reader a general sense of the debates that you’re intervening in.

This leads you into the most important part of the introduction: your aim, objectives and research question(s) . These should be clearly identifiable and stand out from the text – for example, you could present them using bullet points or bold font.

Make sure that your research questions are specific and workable – something you can reasonably answer within the scope of your dissertation. Avoid being too broad or having too many different questions. Remember that your goal in a dissertation proposal is to convince the reader that your research is valuable and feasible:

• Does social media harm mental health?
• What is the impact of daily social media use on 18– to 25–year–olds suffering from general anxiety disorder?

Now that your topic is clear, it’s time to explore existing research covering similar ideas. This is important because it shows you what is missing from other research in the field and ensures that you’re not asking a question someone else has already answered.

You’ve probably already done some preliminary reading, but now that your topic is more clearly defined, you need to thoroughly analyse and evaluate the most relevant sources in your literature review .

Here you should summarise the findings of other researchers and comment on gaps and problems in their studies. There may be a lot of research to cover, so make effective use of paraphrasing to write concisely:

• Smith and Prakash state that ‘our results indicate a 25% decrease in the incidence of mechanical failure after the new formula was applied’.
• Smith and Prakash’s formula reduced mechanical failures by 25%.

The point is to identify findings and theories that will influence your own research, but also to highlight gaps and limitations in previous research which your dissertation can address:

• Subsequent research has failed to replicate this result, however, suggesting a flaw in Smith and Prakash’s methods. It is likely that the failure resulted from…

Next, you’ll describe your proposed methodology : the specific things you hope to do, the structure of your research and the methods that you will use to gather and analyse data.

You should get quite specific in this section – you need to convince your supervisor that you’ve thought through your approach to the research and can realistically carry it out. This section will look quite different, and vary in length, depending on your field of study.

You may be engaged in more empirical research, focusing on data collection and discovering new information, or more theoretical research, attempting to develop a new conceptual model or add nuance to an existing one.

Dissertation research often involves both, but the content of your methodology section will vary according to how important each approach is to your dissertation.

Empirical research

Empirical research involves collecting new data and analysing it in order to answer your research questions. It can be quantitative (focused on numbers), qualitative (focused on words and meanings), or a combination of both.

With empirical research, it’s important to describe in detail how you plan to collect your data:

• Will you use surveys ? A lab experiment ? Interviews?
• What variables will you measure?
• How will you select a representative sample ?
• If other people will participate in your research, what measures will you take to ensure they are treated ethically?
• What tools (conceptual and physical) will you use, and why?

It’s appropriate to cite other research here. When you need to justify your choice of a particular research method or tool, for example, you can cite a text describing the advantages and appropriate usage of that method.

Don’t overdo this, though; you don’t need to reiterate the whole theoretical literature, just what’s relevant to the choices you have made.

Moreover, your research will necessarily involve analysing the data after you have collected it. Though you don’t know yet what the data will look like, it’s important to know what you’re looking for and indicate what methods (e.g. statistical tests , thematic analysis ) you will use.

Theoretical research

You can also do theoretical research that doesn’t involve original data collection. In this case, your methodology section will focus more on the theory you plan to work with in your dissertation: relevant conceptual models and the approach you intend to take.

For example, a literary analysis dissertation rarely involves collecting new data, but it’s still necessary to explain the theoretical approach that will be taken to the text(s) under discussion, as well as which parts of the text(s) you will focus on:

• This dissertation will utilise Foucault’s theory of panopticism to explore the theme of surveillance in Orwell’s 1984 and Kafka’s The Trial…

Here, you may refer to the same theorists you have already discussed in the literature review. In this case, the emphasis is placed on how you plan to use their contributions in your own research.

You’ll usually conclude your dissertation proposal with a section discussing what you expect your research to achieve.

You obviously can’t be too sure: you don’t know yet what your results and conclusions will be. Instead, you should describe the projected implications and contribution to knowledge of your dissertation.

First, consider the potential implications of your research. Will you:

• Develop or test a theory?
• Provide new information to governments or businesses?
• Challenge a commonly held belief?
• Suggest an improvement to a specific process?

Describe the intended result of your research and the theoretical or practical impact it will have:

Finally, it’s sensible to conclude by briefly restating the contribution to knowledge you hope to make: the specific question(s) you hope to answer and the gap the answer(s) will fill in existing knowledge:

Like any academic text, it’s important that your dissertation proposal effectively references all the sources you have used. You need to include a properly formatted reference list or bibliography at the end of your proposal.

Different institutions recommend different styles of referencing – commonly used styles include Harvard , Vancouver , APA , or MHRA . If your department does not have specific requirements, choose a style and apply it consistently.

A reference list includes only the sources that you cited in your proposal. A bibliography is slightly different: it can include every source you consulted in preparing the proposal, even if you didn’t mention it in the text. In the case of a dissertation proposal, a bibliography may also list relevant sources that you haven’t yet read, but that you intend to use during the research itself.

Check with your supervisor what type of bibliography or reference list you should include.

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Caulfield, J. (2022, November 11). How to Write a Dissertation Proposal | A Step-by-Step Guide. Scribbr. Retrieved 6 May 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/proposal/

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Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research

How to Write a Research Proposal as an Undergrad

As I just passed the deadline for my junior independent work (JIW), I wanted to explore strategies that could be helpful in composing a research proposal. In the chemistry department, JIW usually involves lab work and collecting raw data. However, this year, because of the pandemic, there is limited benchwork involved and most of the emphasis has shifted to designing a research proposal that would segue into one’s senior thesis. So far, I have only had one prior experience composing a research proposal, and it was from a virtual summer research program in my department. For this program, I was able to write a proposal on modifying a certain chemical inhibitor that could be used in reducing cancer cell proliferation. Using that experience as a guide, I will outline the steps I followed when I wrote my proposal. (Most of these steps are oriented towards research in the natural sciences, but there are many aspects common to research in other fields).

The first step is usually choosing a topic . This can be assigned to you by the principal investigator for the lab or a research mentor if you have one. For me, it was my research mentor, a graduate student in our lab, who helped me in selecting a field of query for my proposal. When I chose the lab I wanted to be part of for my summer project (with my JIW and senior thesis in mind) , I knew the general area of research I wanted to be involved in. But, usually within a lab, there are many projects that graduate students and post-docs work on within that specific area. Hence, it is important to identify a mentor with specific projects you want to be involved in for your own research. Once you choose a mentor, you can talk to them about formulating a research proposal based on the direction they plan to take their research in and how you can be involved in a similar project. Usually, mentors assign you one to three papers related to your research topic – a review paper that summarizes many research articles and one to two research articles with similar findings and methodology. In my case, the papers involved a review article on the role of the chemical inhibitor I was investigating along with articles on inhibitor design and mechanism of action.  

The next step is to perform a literature review to broadly assess previous work in your research topic, using the articles assigned by your mentor. At this stage, for my proposal, I was trying to know as much about my research area from these papers as well as the articles cited in them. Here, it is helpful to use a reference management software such as Zotero and Mendeley to organize your notes along with all the articles you look into for a bibliography. 

After going through your literature review, you can start thinking about identifying questions that remain to be answered in that field. For my JIW, I found some good ideas in the discussion section of the papers I had read where authors discussed what could be done in future research projects. One discussion section, for example, suggested ways to complement in-vitro experiments (outside of a living organism) with in-vivo ones (inside a living organism) . Reviewing the discussion section is a relatively straightforward way to formulate your own hypothesis. Alternatively, you could look at the papers’ raw data and find that the authors’ conclusions need to be revisited (this might require a critical review of the paper and the supplementary materials) or you could work on improving the paper’s methodology and optimizing its experiments. Furthermore, you might think about combining ideas from different papers or trying to reconcile differing conclusions reached by them.

The next step is developing a general outline ; deciding on what you want to cover in your proposal and how it is going to be structured. Here, you should try hard to limit the scope of your proposal to what you can realistically do for your senior thesis. As a junior or a senior, you will only be working with your mentor for a limited amount of time. Hence, it is not possible to plan long term experiments that would be appropriate for graduate students or post-docs in the lab. (For my summer project, there was not a follow up experiment involved, so I was able to think about possible experiments without the time or equipment constraints that would need to be considered for a JIW). Thus, your proposal should mostly focus on what you think is feasible given your timeline. 

Below are two final considerations. It is important that your research proposal outlines how you plan to collect your own data , analyze it and compare it with other papers in your field. For a research project based on a proposal, you need only establish if your premises/hypotheses are true or false. To do that, you need to formulate questions you can answer by collecting your own data, and this is where experiments come in. My summer project had three specific aims and each one was in the form of a question.

It is important to keep in mind in your proposal the experiments you can perform efficiently on your own – the experimental skills you want to master as an undergraduate. In my view, it is better to learn one to two skills very well than having surface-level knowledge of many. This is because the nature of research has been very specialized in each field that there is limited room for broad investigations. This does not mean your proposal should be solely based on things you can test by yourself (although it might be preferable to put more emphasis there). If your proposal involves experiments beyond what you can learn to do in a year or two, you can think of asking for help from an expert in your lab. 

A research proposal at the undergraduate level is an engaging exercise on coming up with your own questions on your chosen field. There is much leeway as an undergraduate to experiment within your field and think out of the box. In many ways, you will learn how to learn and how to formulate questions for any task you encounter in the future. Whether or not you want to be involved in research, it is an experience common to all Princeton students that you take with you after graduation.

In this post, I have described the basic elements of a natural science research proposal and my approach to writing one. Although the steps above are not comprehensive, I am hopeful they offer guidance you can adapt when you write your own proposal in the future.

— Yodahe Gebreegziabher, Natural Sciences Correspondent

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Library Guides

Dissertations 1: getting started: writing a proposal.

• Starting Your Dissertation
• Choosing A Topic and Researching
• Devising An Approach/Method
• Thinking Of A Title
• Writing A Proposal

What is a Proposal?

Before you start your dissertation, you may be asked to write a proposal for it.  

The purpose of a dissertation proposal is to provide a snapshot of what your study involves. Usually, after submission of the proposal you will be assigned a supervisor who has some expertise in your field of study. You should receive feedback on the viability of the topic, how to focus the scope, research methods, and other issues you should consider before progressing in your research. 

The research proposal should present the dissertation topic, justify your reasons for choosing it and outline how you are going to research it . You'll have to keep it brief, as word counts can vary from anywhere between 800 to 3,000 words at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels.  

It is worth bearing in mind that you are not bound by your proposal. Your project is likely going to  evolve and may move in a new direction . Your dissertation supervisor is aware that this may occur as you delve deeper into the literature in your field of study. Nevertheless, always discuss any major developments with your supervisor in the first instance.  

Reading for your Proposal

Before writing a proposal, you will need to read. A lot! But that doesn’t mean you must read everything. Be targeted! What do you really need to know?  

Instead of reading every page in every book, look for clues in chapter titles and introductions to narrow your focus down. Use abstracts from journal articles to check whether the material is relevant to your study and keep notes of your reading along with clear records of bibliographic information and page numbers for your references.  

Ultimately, your objective should be to create a dialogue between the theories and ideas you have read and your own thoughts. What is your personal perspective on the topic? What evidence is there that supports your point of view? Furthermore, you should ask questions about each text. Is it current or is it outdated? What argument is the author making? Is the author biased?  

Approaching your reading in this way ensures that you engage with the literature critically. You will demonstrate that you have done this in your mini literature review (see Proposal Structure box).  

If you have not yet started reading for your proposal, the Literature Review Guide offers advice on choosing a topic and how to conduct a literature search. Additionally, the Effective Reading Guide provides tips on researching and critical reading.  

Proposal Structure

So, how is a dissertation proposal typically structured? The structure of a proposal varies considerably.

This is a list of elements that might be required. Please check the dissertation proposal requirements and marking criteria on Blackboard or with your lecturers if you are unsure about the requirements.

Title : The title you have devised, so far - it can change throughout the dissertation drafting process! A good title is simple but fairly specific. Example: "Focus and concentration during revision: an evaluation of the Pomodoro technique."

Introduction/Background : Provides background and presents the key issues of your proposed research. Can include the following:

Rationale : Why is this research being undertaken, why is it interesting and worthwhile, also considering the existing literature?

Purpose : What do you intend to accomplish with your study, e.g. improve something or understand something? 

Research question : The main, overarching question your study seeks to answer. E.g. "How can focus and concentration be improved during revision?"

Hypothesis : Quantitative studies can use hypotheses in alternative to research questions. E.g. "Taking regular breaks significantly increases the ability to memorise information."

Aim : The main result your study seeks to achieve. If you use a research question, the aim echoes that, but uses an infinitive. E.g. "The aim of this research is to investigate how can focus and concentration be improved during revision."

Objectives : The stepping stones to achieve your aim. E.g. "The objectives of this research are 1) to review the literature on study techniques; 2) to identify the factors that influence focus and concentration; 3) to undertake an experiment on the Pomodoro technique with student volunteers; 4) to issue recommendations on focus and concentration for revision."

Literature review : Overview of significant literature around the research topic, moving from general (background) to specific (your subject of study). Highlight what the literature says, and does not say, on the research topic, identifying a gap(s) that your research aims to fill. 

Methods : Here you consider what methods you are planning to use for your research, and why you are thinking of them. What secondary sources (literature) are you going to consult? Are you going to use primary sources (e.g. data bases, statistics, interviews, questionnaires, experiments)? Are you going to focus on a case study? Is the research going to be qualitative or quantitative? Consider if your research will need ethical clearance.

Significance/Implications/Expected outcomes : In this section you reiterate what are you hoping to demonstrate. State how your research could contribute to debates in your particular subject area, perhaps filling a gap(s) in the existing works. 

Plan of Work : You might be asked to present your timeline for completing the dissertation. The timeline can be presented using different formats such as bullet points, table, Gantt chart. Whichever format you use, your plan of work should be realistic and should demonstrate awareness of the various elements of the study such as literature research, empirical work, drafting, re-drafting, etc.

Outline : Here you include a provisional table of contents for your dissertation. The structure of the dissertation can be free or prescribed by the dissertation guidelines of your course, so check that up. 

Reference List : The list should include the bibliographical information of all the sources you cited in the proposal, listed in alphabetical order. 

Most of the elements mentioned above are explained in the tabs of this guide!

Literature-based dissertations in the humanities

A literature-based dissertation in the humanities, however, might be less rigidly structured and may look like this: 

• Short introduction including background information on your topic, why it is relevant and how it fits into the literature. 
• Main body which outlines how you will organise your  chapters .
• Conclusion which states what you hope your study will achieve. 
• Bibliography .  

After Writing

Check your proposal! 

Have you shown that your research idea is: 

Ethical? 

Relevant? 

Feasible with the timeframe and resources available?  

Have you: 

Identified a clear research gap to focus on? 

Stated why your study is important? 

Selected a methodology that will enable you to gather the data you need? 

Use the marking criteria for dissertation proposals provided by your department to check your work.  

Locke, L.F.,  Spirduso, W.W. and Silverman, S.J. (2014).  Proposals that Work: A Guide for Planning Dissertations and Grant Proposals . Sage.

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How to write an undergraduate university dissertation

Writing a dissertation is a daunting task, but these tips will help you prepare for all the common challenges students face before deadline day.

Grace McCabe

Writing a dissertation is one of the most challenging aspects of university. However, it is the chance for students to demonstrate what they have learned during their degree and to explore a topic in depth.

In this article, we look at 10 top tips for writing a successful dissertation and break down how to write each section of a dissertation in detail.

10 tips for writing an undergraduate dissertation

1. Select an engaging topic Choose a subject that aligns with your interests and allows you to showcase the skills and knowledge you have acquired through your degree.

2. Research your supervisor Undergraduate students will often be assigned a supervisor based on their research specialisms. Do some research on your supervisor and make sure that they align with your dissertation goals.

3. Understand the dissertation structure Familiarise yourself with the structure (introduction, review of existing research, methodology, findings, results and conclusion). This will vary based on your subject.

4. Write a schedule As soon as you have finalised your topic and looked over the deadline, create a rough plan of how much work you have to do and create mini-deadlines along the way to make sure don’t find yourself having to write your entire dissertation in the final few weeks.

5. Determine requirements Ensure that you know which format your dissertation should be presented in. Check the word count and the referencing style.

6. Organise references from the beginning Maintain an alphabetically arranged reference list or bibliography in the designated style as you do your reading. This will make it a lot easier to finalise your references at the end.

7. Create a detailed plan Once you have done your initial research and have an idea of the shape your dissertation will take, write a detailed essay plan outlining your research questions, SMART objectives and dissertation structure.

8. Keep a dissertation journal Track your progress, record your research and your reading, and document challenges. This will be helpful as you discuss your work with your supervisor and organise your notes.

9. Schedule regular check-ins with your supervisor Make sure you stay in touch with your supervisor throughout the process, scheduling regular meetings and keeping good notes so you can update them on your progress.

10. Employ effective proofreading techniques Ask friends and family to help you proofread your work or use different fonts to help make the text look different. This will help you check for missing sections, grammatical mistakes and typos.

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a long piece of academic writing or a research project that you have to write as part of your undergraduate university degree.

It’s usually a long essay in which you explore your chosen topic, present your ideas and show that you understand and can apply what you’ve learned during your studies. Informally, the terms “dissertation” and “thesis” are often used interchangeably.

How do I select a dissertation topic?

First, choose a topic that you find interesting. You will be working on your dissertation for several months, so finding a research topic that you are passionate about and that demonstrates your strength in your subject is best. You want your topic to show all the skills you have developed during your degree. It would be a bonus if you can link your work to your chosen career path, but it’s not necessary.

Second, begin by exploring relevant literature in your field, including academic journals, books and articles. This will help you identify gaps in existing knowledge and areas that may need further exploration. You may not be able to think of a truly original piece of research, but it’s always good to know what has already been written about your chosen topic.

Consider the practical aspects of your chosen topic, ensuring that it is possible within the time frame and available resources. Assess the availability of data, research materials and the overall practicality of conducting the research.

When picking a dissertation topic, you also want to try to choose something that adds new ideas or perspectives to what’s already known in your field. As you narrow your focus, remember that a more targeted approach usually leads to a dissertation that’s easier to manage and has a bigger impact. Be ready to change your plans based on feedback and new information you discover during your research.

How to work with your dissertation supervisor?

Your supervisor is there to provide guidance on your chosen topic, direct your research efforts, and offer assistance and suggestions when you have queries. It’s crucial to establish a comfortable and open line of communication with them throughout the process. Their knowledge can greatly benefit your work. Keep them informed about your progress, seek their advice, and don’t hesitate to ask questions.

1. Keep them updated Regularly tell your supervisor how your work is going and if you’re having any problems. You can do this through emails, meetings or progress reports.

2. Plan meetings Schedule regular meetings with your supervisor. These can be in person or online. These are your time to discuss your progress and ask for help.

3. Share your writing Give your supervisor parts of your writing or an outline. This helps them see what you’re thinking so they can advise you on how to develop it.

5. Ask specific questions When you need help, ask specific questions instead of general ones. This makes it easier for your supervisor to help you.

6. Listen to feedback Be open to what your supervisor says. If they suggest changes, try to make them. It makes your dissertation better and shows you can work together.

7. Talk about problems If something is hard or you’re worried, talk to your supervisor about it. They can give you advice or tell you where to find help.

8. Take charge Be responsible for your work. Let your supervisor know if your plans change, and don’t wait if you need help urgently.

Remember, talking openly with your supervisor helps you both understand each other better, improves your dissertation and ensures that you get the support you need.

How to write a successful research piece at university How to choose a topic for your dissertation Tips for writing a convincing thesis

How do I plan my dissertation?

It’s important to start with a detailed plan that will serve as your road map throughout the entire process of writing your dissertation. As Jumana Labib, a master’s student at the University of Manchester  studying digital media, culture and society, suggests: “Pace yourself – definitely don’t leave the entire thing for the last few days or weeks.”

Decide what your research question or questions will be for your chosen topic.

Break that down into smaller SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) objectives.

Speak to your supervisor about any overlooked areas.

Create a breakdown of chapters using the structure listed below (for example, a methodology chapter).

Define objectives, key points and evidence for each chapter.

Define your research approach (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods).

Outline your research methods and analysis techniques.

Develop a timeline with regular moments for review and feedback.

Allocate time for revision, editing and breaks.

Consider any ethical considerations related to your research.

Stay organised and add to your references and bibliography throughout the process.

Remain flexible to possible reviews or changes as you go along.

A well thought-out plan not only makes the writing process more manageable but also increases the likelihood of producing a high-quality piece of research.

How to structure a dissertation?

The structure can depend on your field of study, but this is a rough outline for science and social science dissertations:

Introduce your topic.

Complete a source or literature review.

Describe your research methodology (including the methods for gathering and filtering information, analysis techniques, materials, tools or resources used, limitations of your method, and any considerations of reliability).

Summarise your findings.

Discuss the results and what they mean.

Conclude your point and explain how your work contributes to your field.

On the other hand, humanities and arts dissertations often take the form of an extended essay. This involves constructing an argument or exploring a particular theory or analysis through the analysis of primary and secondary sources. Your essay will be structured through chapters arranged around themes or case studies.

All dissertations include a title page, an abstract and a reference list. Some may also need a table of contents at the beginning. Always check with your university department for its dissertation guidelines, and check with your supervisor as you begin to plan your structure to ensure that you have the right layout.

How long is an undergraduate dissertation?

The length of an undergraduate dissertation can vary depending on the specific guidelines provided by your university and your subject department. However, in many cases, undergraduate dissertations are typically about 8,000 to 12,000 words in length.

“Eat away at it; try to write for at least 30 minutes every day, even if it feels relatively unproductive to you in the moment,” Jumana advises.

How do I add references to my dissertation?

References are the section of your dissertation where you acknowledge the sources you have quoted or referred to in your writing. It’s a way of supporting your ideas, evidencing what research you have used and avoiding plagiarism (claiming someone else’s work as your own), and giving credit to the original authors.

Referencing typically includes in-text citations and a reference list or bibliography with full source details. Different referencing styles exist, such as Harvard, APA and MLA, each favoured in specific fields. Your university will tell you the preferred style.

Using tools and guides provided by universities can make the referencing process more manageable, but be sure they are approved by your university before using any.

How do I write a bibliography or list my references for my dissertation?

The requirement of a bibliography depends on the style of referencing you need to use. Styles such as OSCOLA or Chicago may not require a separate bibliography. In these styles, full source information is often incorporated into footnotes throughout the piece, doing away with the need for a separate bibliography section.

Typically, reference lists or bibliographies are organised alphabetically based on the author’s last name. They usually include essential details about each source, providing a quick overview for readers who want more information. Some styles ask that you include references that you didn’t use in your final piece as they were still a part of the overall research.

It is important to maintain this list as soon as you start your research. As you complete your research, you can add more sources to your bibliography to ensure that you have a comprehensive list throughout the dissertation process.

How to proofread an undergraduate dissertation?

Throughout your dissertation writing, attention to detail will be your greatest asset. The best way to avoid making mistakes is to continuously proofread and edit your work.

Proofreading is a great way to catch any missing sections, grammatical errors or typos. There are many tips to help you proofread:

Ask someone to read your piece and highlight any mistakes they find.

Change the font so you notice any mistakes.

Format your piece as you go, headings and sections will make it easier to spot any problems.

Separate editing and proofreading. Editing is your chance to rewrite sections, add more detail or change any points. Proofreading should be where you get into the final touches, really polish what you have and make sure it’s ready to be submitted.

Stick to your citation style and make sure every resource listed in your dissertation is cited in the reference list or bibliography.

How to write a conclusion for my dissertation?

Writing a dissertation conclusion is your chance to leave the reader impressed by your work.

Start by summarising your findings, highlighting your key points and the outcome of your research. Refer back to the original research question or hypotheses to provide context to your conclusion.

You can then delve into whether you achieved the goals you set at the beginning and reflect on whether your research addressed the topic as expected. Make sure you link your findings to existing literature or sources you have included throughout your work and how your own research could contribute to your field.

Be honest about any limitations or issues you faced during your research and consider any questions that went unanswered that you would consider in the future. Make sure that your conclusion is clear and concise, and sum up the overall impact and importance of your work.

Remember, keep the tone confident and authoritative, avoiding the introduction of new information. This should simply be a summary of everything you have already said throughout the dissertation.

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Writing a dissertation proposal.

What is a dissertation proposal?

Dissertation proposals are like the table of contents for your research project , and will help you explain what it is you intend to examine, and roughly, how you intend to go about collecting and analysing your data. You won’t be required to have everything planned out exactly, as your topic may change slightly in the course of your research, but for the most part, writing your proposal should help you better identify the direction for your dissertation.

When you’ve chosen a topic for your dissertation , you’ll need to make sure that it is both appropriate to your field of study and narrow enough to be completed by the end of your course. Your dissertation proposal will help you define and determine both of these things and will also allow your department and instructors to make sure that you are being advised by the best person to help you complete your research.

A dissertation proposal should include:

• An introduction to your dissertation topic
• Aims and objectives of your dissertation
• A literature review of the current research undertaken in your field
• Proposed methodology to be used
• Implications of your research
• Limitations of your research
• Bibliography 

Although this content all needs to be included in your dissertation proposal, the content isn’t set in stone so it can be changed later if necessary, depending on your topic of study, university or degree. Think of your dissertation proposal as more of a guide to writing your dissertation rather than something to be strictly adhered to – this will be discussed later. 

Why is a dissertation proposal important?

A dissertation proposal is very important because it helps shape the actual dissertation, which is arguably the most important piece of writing a postgraduate student will undertake. By having a well-structured dissertation proposal, you will have a strong foundation for your dissertation and a good template to follow. The dissertation itself is key to postgraduate success as it will contribute to your overall grade . Writing your dissertation will also help you to develop research and communication skills, which could become invaluable in your employment success and future career. By making sure you’re fully briefed on the current research available in your chosen dissertation topic, as well as keeping details of your bibliography up to date, you will be in a great position to write an excellent dissertation.

Next, we’ll be outlining things you can do to help you produce the best postgraduate dissertation proposal possible.

How to begin your dissertation proposal

1. Narrow the topic down  

It’s important that when you sit down to draft your proposal, you’ve carefully thought out your topic and are able to narrow it down enough to present a clear and succinct understanding of what you aim to do and hope to accomplish in your dissertation.

How do I decide on a dissertation topic?

A simple way to begin choosing a topic for your dissertation is to go back through your assignments and lectures. Was there a topic that stood out to you? Was there an idea that wasn’t fully explored? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you have a great starting point! If not, then consider one of your more personal interests. Use Google Scholar to explore studies and journals on your topic to find any areas that could go into more detail or explore a more niche topic within your personal interest. 

Keep track of all publications

It’s important to keep track of all the publications that you use while you research. You can use this in your literature review.

You need to keep track of:

• The title of the study/research paper/book/journal
• Who wrote/took part in the study/research paper
• Chapter title
• Page number(s)

The more research you do, the more you should be able to narrow down your topic and find an interesting area to focus on. You’ll also be able to write about everything you find in your literature review which will make your proposal stronger.

While doing your research, consider the following:

• When was your source published? Is the information outdated? Has new information come to light since?
• Can you determine if any of the methodologies could have been carried out more efficiently? Are there any errors or gaps?
• Are there any ethical concerns that should be considered in future studies on the same topic?
• Could anything external (for example new events happening) have influenced the research?

Read more about picking a topic for your dissertation . 

How long should the dissertation proposal be?

There is usually no set length for a dissertation proposal, but you should aim for 1,000 words or more. Your dissertation proposal will give an outline of the topic of your dissertation, some of the questions you hope to answer with your research, what sort of studies and type of data you aim to employ in your research, and the sort of analysis you will carry out.

Different courses may have different requirements for things like length and the specific information to include, as well as what structure is preferred, so be sure to check what special requirements your course has.  

2. What should I include in a dissertation proposal?

Your dissertation proposal should have several key aspects regardless of the structure. The introduction, the methodology, aims and objectives, the literature review, and the constraints of your research all need to be included to ensure that you provide your supervisor with a comprehensive proposal. But what are they? Here's a checklist to get you started.

• Introduction

The introduction will state your central research question and give background on the subject, as well as relating it contextually to any broader issues surrounding it. 

The dissertation proposal introduction should outline exactly what you intend to investigate in your final research project.

Make sure you outline the structure of the dissertation proposal in your introduction, i.e. part one covers methodology, part two covers a literature review, part three covers research limitations, and so forth.

Your introduction should also include the working title for your dissertation – although don't worry if you want to change this at a later stage as your supervisors will not expect this to be set in stone.

Dissertation methodology

The dissertation methodology will break down what sources you aim to use for your research and what sort of data you will collect from it, either quantitative or qualitative. You may also want to include how you will analyse the data you gather and what, if any, bias there may be in your chosen methods.

Depending on the level of detail that your specific course requires, you may also want to explain why your chosen approaches to gathering data are more appropriate to your research than others.

Consider and explain how you will conduct empirical research. For example, will you use interviews? Surveys? Observation? Lab experiments?

In your dissertation methodology, outline the variables that you will measure in your research and how you will select your data or participant sample to ensure valid results.

Finally, are there any specific tools that you will use for your methodology? If so, make sure you provide this information in the methodology section of your dissertation proposal.

• Aims and objectives

Your aim should not be too broad but should equally not be too specific.

An example of a dissertation aim could be: ‘To examine the key content features and social contexts that construct successful viral marketing content distribution on X’.

In comparison, an example of a dissertation aim that is perhaps too broad would be: ‘To investigate how things go viral on X’.

The aim of your dissertation proposal should relate directly to your research question.

• Literature review

The literature review will list the books and materials that you will be using to do your research. This is where you can list materials that gave you more background on your topic, or contain research carried out previously that you referred to in your own studies. 

The literature review is also a good place to demonstrate how your research connects to previous academic studies and how your methods may differ from or build upon those used by other researchers. While it’s important to give enough information about the materials to show that you have read and understood them, don’t forget to include your analysis of their value to your work.

Where there are shortfalls in other pieces of academic work, identify these and address how you will overcome these shortcomings in your own research.

Constraints and limitations of your research

Lastly, you will also need to include the constraints of your research. Many topics will have broad links to numerous larger and more complex issues, so by clearly stating the constraints of your research, you are displaying your understanding and acknowledgment of these larger issues, and the role they play by focusing your research on just one section or part of the subject.

In this section it is important to Include examples of possible limitations, for example, issues with sample size, participant drop out, lack of existing research on the topic, time constraints, and other factors that may affect your study.

• Ethical considerations

Confidentiality and ethical concerns are an important part of any research.

Ethics are key, as your dissertation will need to undergo ethical approval if you are working with participants. This means that it’s important to allow for and explain ethical considerations in your dissertation proposal.

Keep confidentiality in mind and keep your participants informed, so they are aware of how the data provided is being used and are assured that all personal information is being kept confidential.

Consider how involved your patients will be with your research, this will help you think about what ethical considerations to take and discuss them fully in your dissertation proposal. For example, face-to-face participant interview methods could require more ethical measures and confidentiality considerations than methods that do not require participants, such as corpus data (a collection of existing written texts) analysis. 

3. Dissertation proposal example

Once you know what sections you need or do not need to include, it may help focus your writing to break the proposal up into separate headings, and tackle each piece individually. You may also want to consider including a title. Writing a title for your proposal will help you make sure that your topic is narrow enough, as well as help keep your writing focused and on topic.

One example of a dissertation proposal structure is using the following headings, either broken up into sections or chapters depending on the required word count:

• Methodology
• Research constraints

In any dissertation proposal example, you’ll want to make it clear why you’re doing the research and what positives could come from your contribution. 

Dissertation proposal example table

This table outlines the various stages of your dissertation proposal.

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Resource focus

The aim of this handout is to provide a general introduction to the skills required when writing a proposal for your undergraduate dissertation or independent research project. The examples in this handout use the APA 7 th edition referencing style.

What is a dissertation?

• Also called an independent research project, a dissertation is a piece of original research on a topic, closely related to your degree, in which you are particularly interested!
• It is normally the longest piece of work you will complete during your undergraduate study.
• Unlike most other modules, which have taught content, research projects are completed more independently , with support from a supervisor from your course.

What is a dissertation proposal?

• One of the first stages in the dissertation process.
• A piece of work in which you present your research ideas, and plan out your dissertation project, before carrying out the research!

What are the benefits of writing a dissertation proposal?

Proposals give you the opportunity to evaluate your dissertation plans before embarking on extensive research. They enable you to receive feedback on the following:

• Whether your project is practicable . Do you have the skills, knowledge and time required to carry out your proposed project?
• Whether your research project will address your chosen research question.
• Whether it will meet university requirements for an undergraduate dissertation (Greetham, 2019, p. 128).

Before writing your dissertation proposal: To-do list

• Familiarise yourself with the requirements and guidelines for dissertation work; these may be university-wide or specific to your subject discipline.
• Identify a good study-skills book to guide you step-by-step through the dissertation writing process (see ‘Sources and Further Reading' below).
• Identify your overall area of proposed research or research topic.
• Carry out a preliminary literature review to become familiar with the knowledge available on your topic, and to identify a research gap or problem that you will address ( see the CAW handout, ‘Writing a Literature Review’, to help with this ).
• Work to develop your initial ideas surrounding your proposed project. You will want to think about:
• What you want to investigate (Read on to think about how you might define your project).  
• How you are going to find the information you need.
• What the likely significance of your findings will be.

What might you include in your dissertation proposal?

(Adapted from Greetham, 2009, p. 134).

Before you continue

The requirements of your dissertation (and your dissertation proposal) will vary widely between different disciplines. Whilst this handout offers general guidance, it is very important that you follow your brief, and your departmental guidelines, as carefully as you can, to ensure that you include all necessary requirements.

A dissertation proposal typically includes the following elements:

One part of your proposal will involve formulating the proposed title of your research. The title might include

• The main subject of your research (what is the thing being examined?)
• The scope of your research (how much of the subject area is being examined?)
• The methodological approach of your research (with what research method are you examining this subject?)

The impact of understanding of English grammar on academic success: A quantitative analysis of first year student assessments in Coventry University’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

In this example we can see that the subject of the research has been introduced (undergraduate understanding of English grammar), and the scope has been narrowed to make this a feasible study (first-year student assessments within a particular faculty at Coventry University). The study’s method has also been briefly introduced (quantitative).

Outline of the problem

Research projects typically work to identify and then solve a particular problem, or to address a research gap . In the outline you will describe this problem or gap, which helps you to justify your project!

Example problem

University students’ understanding of English grammar is impeding the marks they receive for assignments.

Based on the problem you have identified, your proposal will need to clearly set out your dissertation’s aims in response to this problem. The proposal will need to consider

• The purpose of your research. What does it aim to do to solve your problem?
• The main research questions that will be investigated to solve the problem.

Example aim

In order to further understand the relationship between undergraduate understanding of grammatical rules and marks received, the proposed dissertation performs a quantitative analysis on a sample of Coventry University first years within the faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Example research question

How does student understanding of English grammar impact marks received for assignments?

Your objectives are the achievable project activities you plan to complete in order to fulfil your aims and answer your research question. When formulating your objectives, it can help to break up your research questions into smaller sub-questions.

Example sub-questions

• What grammar rules cause students particular problems?
• How do we measure student understanding of such grammar rules?
• Does a significant correlation exist between student understanding of such rules, and academic success?
• Can we identify a causal link between understanding of grammar rules, and academic success?

Whilst there are many possible sub-questions we might ask to help us break down the overall research question, we can see how these example questions make it a little easier to define what will be done over the course of the research:

Example objectives

• To assess the level of the sampled students’ understanding of grammatical rules through a comprehensive survey.
• To determine whether there is a correlation between the sampled students’ understanding of grammatical rules and academic success, by establishing whether there is a significant relationship between grammar errors and marks received for relevant assessments.
• To identify particular grammatical rules causing difficulty to sampled students and consider possible contributing factors.

We can see that whilst the aims are more general , the example objectives plan out more exactly the tasks that the research will complete.

Present an overview of current academic thinking on your topic. Some departments may refer to this section as a literature review. You will want to consider the following questions:

• What do relevant research and publications say about your topic or problem?
• What are the main themes and issues that can be identified in current literature?
• What are the main academic perspectives around your chosen topic?
• Are there any research gaps you intend to fill?

Example of ways to summarise previous research:

• Recent research generally agrees that […] , with previous findings typically focussing on three main themes: […].
• Authors X and Y suggest that […], whilst author Z argues for […].

Examples of ways to introduce the limitations of previous research:

• However, whilst such studies consistently agree that […], these studies have not dealt with […] in much detail.
• Whilst data exists for such a claim, this data is now over X years old and it is important to determine whether it is still accurate.
• A significant problem with the research on […] is […].
• One major limitation of the study design is that […] .

Examples of ways to  introduce and respond to a research gap:

• No previous study has examined […] in sufficient detail. The present study aims to address this gap within the literature, considering […]
• More up-to-date research is required to assess whether the findings from previous research remains consistent. The present study consequently aims to do so […]
• To mitigate the methodological issues of previous research, the present study is designed to […]

Research methodology (if appropriate)

If this element is required, you will need to explain the methods you will use to collect information in your dissertation, and explain how they allow you to achieve your aims and objectives :

• Identify the activities you plan to carry out. Think about how, exactly, you will complete your research objectives.
• Identify any equipment you may need.
• Identify any anticipated project costs.
• Explain how you propose to address anticipated problems and ethical issues.
• Assess your approach for reliability and validity.
• Identify how you are going to allocate time to the required project activities.
• You might be expected to plan out or visualise the timeline for your project, either through a bar chart or a Gantt chart. You will want to show the sequence of project activities and deadlines for their completion.

Provisional outline of dissertation structure

• Outline the proposed chapter headings and subheadings of your dissertation. This will give structure to your work by providing you with a plan for your writing.
• State what the significance of the outcome of your research is likely to be.
• What will it contribute to the body of knowledge and how might it influence future research?
• Relate your conclusions back to your research aims and objectives .
• Compile a List of References for everything cited in the proposal, adhering to the referencing style used in your department.

Discuss your dissertation proposal with your supervisor and be prepared to revise it . Good research takes work!

Keep it by you and consult it as you carry out your project work.

General References and Further Reading

Durdella, N. (2019). Qualitative dissertation methodology: A guide for research design and methods . Sage Publications.

Greetham, B. (2019). How to write your undergraduate dissertation. Red Globe Press. (Chapter 16, ‘Planning your research’, is highly recommended)

Sage Publications. (2018). Sage Research Methods [database]. https://methods.sagepub.com/   (A great resource providing access to lots of texts, sources, and advice regarding all kinds of research methods)

Slapin, J. (2017). Fundamentals of Quantitative Text Analysis [video series] . Sage Research Methods. https://methods.sagepub.com/Search/Results

Terrell, S. R. (2016). Writing a proposal for your dissertation: Guidelines and examples. The Guilford Press.

Wisker, G. (2019). The undergraduate research handbook. Red Globe Press.

To cite this resource:

Coventry University. (2023). Writing a proposal for an undergraduate dissertation or independent research project [Resource]. Centre for Academic Writing.

Subject Specific References and Further Reading

Breach, M. (2008). Dissertation Writing for Engineers and Scientists. Pearson Education.

Bordon, I., & Rüedi, K. (2014). The dissertation: A guide for architecture students. Routledge.

Durkin, D. B. (2021). Writing strategies for the education dissertation. Routledge.

Fisher, C. (2010). Researching and writing a dissertation: A guidebook for business students. Pearson Education.

Glasper, E. A., & Rees, C. (2013). How to write your nursing dissertation. Wiley-Blackwell.

Jegede, J., Hargreaves, C., Smith, K., Hodgson, P., Todd, M. J., & Waldman Abingdon, J. (2020). Writing successful undergraduate dissertations in social sciences: A student’s handbook. Routledge.

Lammasniemi, L. (2021). Law dissertations: A step-by-step guide. Routledge.

Naoum. S. G. (2019). Dissertation research and writing for built environment students. Routledge.

Seligman, R. A. (2023). A student guide to writing an undergraduate psychology honors thesis. Routledge.

Parsons, T., & Knight, P. G. (2015). How to do your dissertation in geography and related disciplines. Routledge.

Paterson, A. (2016). Research methods for accounting and finance: a guide to writing your dissertation. Goodfellow Publishers.

Walliman, N. & Appleton, J. (2009). Your undergraduate dissertation in health and social care. SAGE Publications.

Young, S. (2022). How to write your undergraduate dissertation in criminology. Milton.

Further Support

CAW offers writing development workshops across all genres of academic writing, including Writing your Dissertation or Final Year Project workshop.  To view available workshops and book online, visit:  https://libcal.coventry.ac.uk/calendar/caw    

To book a one-to-one tutorial with the Centre for Academic Writing: https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/cawlibcalhome    

To view your disciplinary subject guide, visit: https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/subjects  

To find who your subject Academic Liaison Librarian is, visit:   https://libguides.coventry.ac.uk/ALL     

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Research Proposal Example/Sample

Detailed Walkthrough + Free Proposal Template

If you’re getting started crafting your research proposal and are looking for a few examples of research proposals , you’ve come to the right place.

In this video, we walk you through two successful (approved) research proposals , one for a Master’s-level project, and one for a PhD-level dissertation. We also start off by unpacking our free research proposal template and discussing the four core sections of a research proposal, so that you have a clear understanding of the basics before diving into the actual proposals.

• Research proposal example/sample – Master’s-level (PDF/Word)
• Research proposal example/sample – PhD-level (PDF/Word)
• Proposal template (Fully editable) 

If you’re working on a research proposal for a dissertation or thesis, you may also find the following useful:

• Research Proposal Bootcamp : Learn how to write a research proposal as efficiently and effectively as possible
• 1:1 Proposal Coaching : Get hands-on help with your research proposal

PS – If you’re working on a dissertation, be sure to also check out our collection of dissertation and thesis examples here .

FAQ: Research Proposal Example

Research proposal example: frequently asked questions, are the sample proposals real.

Yes. The proposals are real and were approved by the respective universities.

Can I copy one of these proposals for my own research?

As we discuss in the video, every research proposal will be slightly different, depending on the university’s unique requirements, as well as the nature of the research itself. Therefore, you’ll need to tailor your research proposal to suit your specific context.

You can learn more about the basics of writing a research proposal here .

How do I get the research proposal template?

You can access our free proposal template here .

Is the proposal template really free?

Yes. There is no cost for the proposal template and you are free to use it as a foundation for your research proposal.

Where can I learn more about proposal writing?

For self-directed learners, our Research Proposal Bootcamp is a great starting point.

For students that want hands-on guidance, our private coaching service is recommended.

Psst… there’s more!

This post is an extract from our bestselling short course, Research Proposal Bootcamp . If you want to work smart, you don't want to miss this .

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Examples of research proposals

How to write your research proposal, with examples of good proposals.

Research proposals

Your research proposal is a key part of your application. It tells us about the question you want to answer through your research. It is a chance for you to show your knowledge of the subject area and tell us about the methods you want to use.

We use your research proposal to match you with a supervisor or team of supervisors.

In your proposal, please tell us if you have an interest in the work of a specific academic at York St John. You can get in touch with this academic to discuss your proposal. You can also speak to one of our Research Leads. There is a list of our Research Leads on the Apply page.

When you write your proposal you need to:

• Highlight how it is original or significant
• Explain how it will develop or challenge current knowledge of your subject
• Identify the importance of your research
• Show why you are the right person to do this research
• Research Proposal Example 1 (DOC, 49kB)
• Research Proposal Example 2 (DOC, 0.9MB)
• Research Proposal Example 3 (DOC, 55.5kB)
• Research Proposal Example 4 (DOC, 49.5kB)

Subject specific guidance

• Writing a Humanities PhD Proposal (PDF, 0.1MB)
• Writing a Creative Writing PhD Proposal (PDF, 0.1MB)
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Dissertation Proposal Examples

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Are you looking to review a Dissertation Proposal Sample and explore what a dissertation proposal looks like?

Reviewing a sample dissertation proposal will assist you in identifying the primary elements that you can follow while starting with drafting your dissertation.

The samples of the dissertation proposals provided here can be downloaded in a pdf format, so you can read the full draft at the time of your convenience or while drafting your dissertation proposal.

A good quality dissertation proposal sample includes the following sections;

• A detailed introduction to the topic
• Dissertation research aims, research objectives and research gaps
• Detailed literature review on the subject of your research.
• Justified research methodology, data collection and analysis methods, including presenting any research limitations
• List of 20+ quality references resources

The dissertation proposal samples shared here have been mostly drafted for UK students. However, students who are studying in different countries can also use these resources for their dissertations or thesis papers.

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To assist students further with dissertation proposal examples, we have published dissertation proposal examples in the following categories;

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It is important to note that the length of a dissertation proposal draft, in terms of the required number of pages or words, depends on the dissertation brief or the instructions provided by the university or the module supervisors.

For example, an undergraduate dissertation proposal sample can be of around 1,000 words or 4 to 6 pages, an MSC dissertation proposal sample can be of around 2,000 words or 8 to 10 pages, and a doctoral or PHD dissertation proposal sample can be of around 5,000 words or 20 to 22 pages.

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Dissertation examples

Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written. Refer to your module guidelines to make sure that you address all of the current assessment criteria. Some of the examples below are only available to access on campus.

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Sample Undergraduate Nursing Dissertation Proposal

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Investigating the Impact of Tube Feeding

This study seeks to explore patients’ living experience with tube feeding and how poorly they do after this intervention from their caregivers’ view as the patient may exhibit changes in cognitive or language function that affect their ability to understand or express their feelings and experiences.

The proposal opens with an introductory chapter that gives a brief overview of patients’ problems suffering from dementia. It further highlights the research objectives and the resulting research questions regarding this study.

The introduction is followed by a brief literature review that discusses previous research about dysphagia quoted in this research. The methodology section gives a compact description of how the research will collect the primary data.

It is proposed that the paper follows the structure stated below: ● Introduction o Research Objectives o Research Questions ● Literature Review ● Research Methodology & Approach ● Research Analysis ● Ethical Issues ● Limitations ● Conclusion

Introduction

Dementia cannot be classified as a specific disease. Rather it encompasses a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and communication abilities severely enough to interfere with daily life functioning. Dementia can be caused by either a progressive brain cell death or neurodegenerative diseases such as head injury, a stroke, or a brain tumour.

There are various types of dementia such as Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Mixed dementia, Lewy body dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Dementia symptoms include memory loss, disorientation, mood changes, eating and communication difficulties (MacGill,2016).

The impact of cognitive status on the swallowing mechanism is unclear (Riquelme et al., 2016). However, Riquelme& Tristani (2014) verified a relationship between mental and physiologic changes in the swallowing mechanism for persons with cognitive decline due to dementia. Individuals with dementia experience sensory loss that disrupts bolus organization, mastication, and oral transit affecting their ability to eat and swallow.

They also experience a motor loss that disrupts airway closure and pharyngeal movement affecting their ability to initiate the swallowing process. Sensory and motor damage eventually leads to difficulty in aspiration, silent aspiration, bronchiectasis, dehydration, weight loss, and starvation (Easterling & Robbins, 2008).

Dysphagia is very common among individuals with dementia and is defined as difficulty moving food from mouth to stomach (Easterling & Robbins, 2008). Intellectual impairment is the primary cause of dysphagia in people who have dementia (Tristani, 2015).

Dysphagia impairments during the dementia stages of the disease manifested in the following manner, Initially, the individual experienced delayed pharyngeal swallow and reduced lingual movement, at the mid-stage, they experienced reduced oral preparation, pharyngeal clearance, UES opening, and aspiration, and at the advanced stage, they experienced increased aspiration pneumonia which is a common cause of death (Easterling & Robbins, 2008; Alagiakrishnan et al., 2013; Brooke & Ojo, 2015).

Dysphagia treatment options include diet modifications, positioning, feeding techniques, feeding tubes, and oral care (Easterling & Robbins, 2008).

However, the decision regarding the course of treatment depends on the symptoms of eating and drinking difficulties. The speech and language therapist is responsible for evaluating swallowing challenges and recommendations regarding diet safety; recommends the best and suitable treatment option for each case (Vitale et al., 2011; Alagiakrishnan et al., 2013).

Individuals with dementia cannot take care of their daily needs, which renders them incapable of taking adequate nutrition and hydration and leads to minimal to non-existent social interaction that accompanies mealtime. They also fail to recognize food and lose the normal physiological drivers of appetite.

They may experience apraxia that is difficult in coordinating movements, which will affect their ability to use cutlery. Furthermore, they develop physical difficulties with the act of swallowing, such as failing to manage the food bolus once it’s in the mouth (oral phase dysphagia) or aspirates when swallowing (pharyngeal phase dysphagia).

An enteral feeding tube, which uses tubes to deliver artificial nutrition and hydration, is often recommended to individuals with dementia who have significant dysphagia or have difficulty meeting their nutritional needs by mouth (Easterling & Robbins ,2008; Candy et al., 2009; Vitale et al., 2011).

This research aims to study the impact of enteral tube feeding on an individual’s quality of life suffering from dementia. To this end, a phenomenological research design will be collected to collect the primary data.

In addition to this, previously conducted studies will also be used in the form of secondary data. This proposal’s methodology section will discuss further details about the collection of data and the research design.

Research Objectives

Hence, this study’s primary aim is to explore the impact of tube feeding on the quality of life of individuals with dementia and eating problems from their caregivers’ views. Based on this main aim, the research objectives are:

● To determine how the patient fares in terms of health after the tube feeding.

● To determine whether the patient’s quality of life (QOL) improves or not.

Research Questions

Based on the aforementioned aims, the following research questions are derived which will help achieve the primary objective of this study:

1. How does tube feeding impact the quality of life of individuals with dementia and eating problems?

2. How can these impacts be categorized from the caregivers’ view?

By exploring their challenges and difficulties with the feeding tube, this study will help increase the caregivers’ knowledge and awareness and understanding regarding tube feeding usage outcomes among individuals with dementia to ultimately provide better end-of-life care for a patient with dementia.

More evidence on how this intervention impacts QOL would give context to this population’s ethical decision-making and consider if life in advanced dementia should be prolonged artificially.

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Literature Review

Tubes feeding is often used to deliver artificial nutrition and hydration to patients with significant dysphagia or difficulties meeting their nutritional needs by mouth, such as individuals with stroke, head injuries, neurological diseases, and individuals with dementia.

Dysphagia among the dementia population leads to malnutrition, dehydration, weight loss, functional decline, and decreased quality of life. The primary rationale of using it is to improve their nutritional status and QOL and prevent aspiration pneumonia (Candy, 2009; Vitale et al., 2011; Alagiakrishnan et al., 2013; Brooke & Ojo, 2015).

The common types of feeding tubes often used with dementia include nasogastric tube (NGT) and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube. The NGT is a tube that passes through the nose and oesophagus until it reaches the stomach.

It is usually used in temporary and short-term feeding needs. In contrast, the PEG tube is a feeding tube passed through an endoscopic into the stomach and guided out through a permanent incision in the abdominal wall and considered for long-term use (Easterling & Robbins, 2008; Candy et al., 2009).

The risks of tube feeding among individuals with dementia have been well documented in the literature, including aspiration pneumonia, oesophagal perforation, haemorrhage, death, pressure sores, infections, fluid overload, and loss of social aspects of feeding. Some studies argue that it may increase gastric secretions (Candy et al., 2009; Brooke & Ojo, 2015).

The prevalence of dementia is predicted to rise worldwide, with an estimated 81 million people diagnosed with dementia by 2040 (Brooke & Ojo, 2015). The pervasiveness of swallowing difficulties in individuals with dementia ranges from 13 to 57% in different types of dementia.

The prevalence of tube feeding in individuals with dementia is common in nursing home residents with advanced dementia. The majority of tubes are inserted during an acute setting, with the most common cause being aspiration pneumonia and dysphagia (Alagiakrishnan et al., 2013).

A recent systematic review conducted by Brooke & Ojo (2015) revealed that the prevalence of tube feeding among individuals with dementia in Japan might be higher than in Western populations due to current guidelines.

In Japan, guidelines compiled under the Japan Gastroenterology Endoscopy Society’s supervision recommend PEG insertion for patients who cannot maintain their nutrition due to cerebrovascular disease or dementia.

The impact of these guidelines may contribute to earlier insertion of PEG tubes and the commencement of enteral nutrition in patients with dementia, ultimately leading to longer survival rates.

Multiple studies outline the outcomes of tube feeding among the dementia population. Several studies report that aspiration pneumonia may be caused by reflux of tube feeding fluid and aspiration of oral secretions.

In a systematic review conducted in 2009, two studies reported that at 6 months, 58% of enteral fed patients had aspiration pneumonia, 54% of those with NG feeding, and 67% with PEG, compared with 17% of those fed orally. However, in a recent review conducted in 2015, one observational study reported aspiration pneumonia at 5%, comparable for patients with and without dementia.

Moreover, it illustrated that enteral nutrition delivered through a PEG tube does not increase the risk of aspiration for patients with dementia than rates of aspiration pneumonia of other disease cohorts (Candy et al.,2009; Alagiakrishnan et al., 2013; Brooke & Ojo, 2015).

Alagiakrishnan et al. (2013) highlight that an observational study conducted in nursing homes with severe dementia found no difference in survival with feeding tube placement.

Another recent systematic review conducted by Brooke & Oji (2015) came out with consistent results, indicating six studies evaluating mortality that found that there is no evidence of prolonged life as a result of feeding tube use for individuals with dementia and no significant association between decreased mortality and enteral tube feeding. Some studies also argue that there may be a slightly higher death rate when tube feeding for this population and reduced QOL.

Furthermore, no study indicates that QOL was measured. However, one reported that over 6 months, 71% of 52 patients needed to be physically restrained to prevent extubation, compared with 55% of those who were not enterally fed (Vitale et al., 2011; Alagiakrishnan et al., 2013; Brooke & Ojo, 2015).

The decision to start enteral tube feeding in someone with dementia is argumentative, emotive, and ethically challenging for all involved. The decision is influenced by various complex issues such as clinical needs, local practices, physician and caregiver preferences, and whether an advanced care plan is in place.

The previously conducted studies point out that to date, the decision making regarding enteral nutrition in individuals with dementia remains ethically challenging and concerns whether informal caregivers who give consent are fully informed, both of the benefits and potential harms of this intervention, and of alternatives that might optimize QOL of the patient (Candy et al., 2009; Vitale et al., 2011; Brook & Ojo, 2015). The patient’s caregivers must be informed of all implications of tube feeding to help them decide.

Despite the issues regarding the utility of enteral tube feeding among dementia populations, it remains a common intervention regardless of the evidence suggesting that intervention is ineffective in preventing aspiration, prolonging life, improving nutrition and quality of life (QOL). According to Brook & Ojo (2015), with the expected increase in patients with dementia, enteral tube feeding is likely to become common.

Among the studies and reviews that evaluated the role of enteral feeding in individuals with dementia, no data was found about the patient’s quality of life. Some studies report that the QOL is difficult to analyze in this population as patients with advanced dementia lose their capacity to express their feelings, and family members often report conflicting opinions.

Also, some studies emphasize that further research on how this intervention impact QOL among the dementia population would give more context to the ethical consideration, and Alzheimer’s Society supports the importance of QOL rather the longevity (Candy et al., 2009; Vitale et al., 2011; Alagiakrishnan et al., 2013; Brooke & Ojo, 2015).

Research Methodology & Approach

The study will explore a patient’s living experience with tube feeding from their caregivers’ view generating a range of insightful knowledge about the impact of complications regarding tube feeding on the patient’s QOL. Since these experiences are very personal, discovering their small details would be best investigated by a phenomenological research design (Grbich, 2013). The phenomenology approach is designed to explore individuals’ experiences in depth.

As the intention is to gather detailed information about patients’ experiences during their journey while receiving artificial nutrition via tube feeding, a depth semi-structured interview method is a suitable tool to utilize.

Since it is a flexible and adaptable method, it will provide the researcher with an opportunity to listen to the participants’ views and experiences and allow probing questions to explore further ideas (Harding, 2013). Face-to-face interviews are suitable methods to facilitate honest, open responses, gain new insights, and maintain patient privacy (Creswell, 2014).

As the research intends to explore the essence of patients’ experiences in-depth through their thoughts, opinions, and experiences about the impact of tube feeding on their life, the interview will take time; hence, a smaller size of participants is appropriate. The few participants will provide access to an exciting hypothesis from a high level of information power, critical to achieving the research aim.

Research Strategies

Purposive sampling in recruiting the study’s participants will be chosen. This will facilitate obtaining an in-depth understanding of the impact of tube feeding on a patient’s QOL. Participants will be selected purposively to provide the researcher’s most information elaborated in detail (Patton, 2015).

The study will attempt to collect data from the patient’s caregiver who has dementia in a particular hospital and nursing home in the UK, specifically those diagnosed with dementia and who have received artificial nutrition via NGT or PEG.

An internet search and telephonic inquiry to the dementia care services at hospitals and nursing homes in the UK will be carried out to identify suitable participants for the study. In addition to this, approval from the registry of the dementia department from a specific hospital in the UK will be requested to recruit participants.

The sample population for this study will have the attributes listed below:

● Male and female ● Caregiver for the patient diagnosed with dementia ● The caregiver should have spent a long time with the patient.nt ● Acute hospital settings and nursing homes ● Patients ranged from 60+ years ● At any stage of the disease ● Experience eating difficulties and have been recommended eternal tube feeding

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Research analysis.

This section analyses the primary and secondary data collected from the literature sources and the interviews conducted, respectively. An effort will be made to ensure coherence between the sections of the paper.

Thematic analysis, the “process of segmentation, categorization, and relinking of aspects of the data before final interpretation” (Matthews and Ross 2010:373), will be utilized in analyzing the collected data.

This analysis facilitates working with the collected raw data, such as the raw verbal or visual data. The thematic analysis is flexible, which helps divide the data into chunks before working with it and returning to raw data throughout the analytical process (Matthews & Ross, 2010). Also, the thematic analysis will help explore and better understand the comments made by the participants.

To ensure the credibility of the study, numerous steps will be taken. These steps include:

● A verbatim transcript of the interviews ● Read the transcripts and then read back to immerse yourself in the data and accurately reflect what was said by the participant. ● Use member checking to ensure the truth value of the data. ● Provide the participants with a copy of the transcript to validate that it reflected their perspective. ● Considering reflexivity, that is, being aware of the researcher’s effect on the research process and outcomes.

Ethical Issues

The moral and ethical code conducts the paper. However, there is always a possibility that ethical issues may arise. The ethical issues that might occur in conducting this research are:

● Gaining the agreement of individuals in authority (e.g., gatekeeper) allows study participants at research sites.

● Participation will be voluntary, and it will be stressed that the consent could be withdrawn during the study.

● Anonymity and confidentiality issues anticipate that some patients may want to have their identity remain confidential. By permitting this, the researcher allows the participants to retain ownership of their voices. The consequence of this would mean that the data regarding the particular patient will be excluded in the final report.

● Since a face-to-face interview method is used while conducting this study, the interaction may be stressful due to the topic’s sensitivity.

● Emotional reactions in the interview.

● Psychological risk such as distress.

● The researcher–participant relationship can raise a range of ethical concerns such as respect for privacy, establishing honest and open interactions, and avoiding misrepresentations.

Limitations

Every study conducted encounters some limitations. Researching within a time frame often proves to be the most complex challenge. Even though using literature resources can be helpful, it may be classified as a hindrance since the studies have been conducted over different periods.

This study section will summarize and comprehensively interpret the analyzed data’s findings and answer the research questions satisfactorily.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to write an undergraduate dissertation proposal.

To write an undergraduate dissertation proposal:

• Choose a research topic.
• Outline objectives and research questions.
• Describe methodology and data sources.
• Provide a brief literature review.
• State significance and potential outcomes.
• Include a timeline and list of references.

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