A proposal is probably the first document of such length and importance that you are creating in the course of your academic career. As such, it is not easy to write the proposal in one go, or be satisfied with your first draft. Nevertheless, if you wish to pursue a research, writing a proposal for it is an inevitable task.
One of the reasons that can keep you from starting your proposal can be commitment towards a particular topic. This reason will be applicable only in case of a dissertation proposal, because if you are already through with the research process, there is no chance that you will be revising the dissertation topic. Selecting a topic that you are passionate about will act as a motivating factor for you to sit down and write the proposal. You will want to take some issue hands on and find a solution to it at the earliest. So, obviously, you will want the proposal approved soon.
Moreover, you will pay attention to every detail of the proposal, to make sure that the review committee supports it with time and resources. Apart from seeking some issue through introspection, you will also have to pay heed to the following factors while selecting a topic:
- Available resources: make sure that there are ample resources available in the form of references for the topic, data sources and funds. If the people you need to access are not ready to cooperate, then there are slim chances that you will be able to get the required information and complete the project.
- Viability of project: The scope of the topic must be such that the project is completed within the stipulated time. You cannot spend ages collecting data and drawing charts. You need to finish your analysis and arrive at a logical result.
- Mentors’ support: there has to be some guidance for the research work. Looking at the complexity of a project at the master’s or PhD level, you cannot do it all alone. Taking some expert as the partner for preparing your proposal will be a wise idea.
When you have chosen a topic as per these parameters, and are proceeding with the preparation of an effective proposal, you can be sure to impress your committee.