MS And PhD Thesis Proposal Guidelines

MS and PhD Thesis Proposal Guidelines

Department of Geological Sciences

University of Texas at El Paso

August 2002

Purpose

These guidelines are intended to aid graduate students in preparing succinct, well-organized thesis proposals in a timely fashion.

Masters and PhD projects in nearly all disciplines within Geosciences have these elements in common:

1. A geologic problem is identified

2. Data necessary to solving the problem are either collected by the student, or obtained independently.

3. Data is analyzed using techniques appropriate to the data set.

4. Results of the analysis are reported and are interpreted in light of the initial geologic problem.

The purpose of writing a proposal is to demonstrate to the faculty that:

1. The thesis topic addresses a significant geologic problem.

2. An organized plan is in place for collecting or obtaining data to help solve the problem.

3. Methods of data analysis have been identified and are appropriate to the dataset.

If you can outline these points clearly in a proposal then you will be able to focus on a research topic and finish it rapidly. A secondary purpose of the proposal is to train you in the art of proposal writing. Any future career in the geosciences, whether it be in industry of academe will require these skills in some form.

Below is a suggested outline for a proposal that will achieve the goals stated in the preceding paragraph. The actual length of a written proposal will vary depending on the scope of the project. Suggested lengths are 5 – 1- pages of double spaced text for an MS proposal and 10 – 15 pages of double spaced text for a PhD proposal. References and figures are in addition to the suggested page limits.

Elements of a Proposal

Abstract

The abstract of the proposal is circulated to the entire faculty, who will evaluate the merit of the proposed project based in the abstract. Thus it should summarize the main elements of the research. This includes the elements stated above:

1. The geologic problem and its significance

2. A description of the data to be acquired or analyzed

3. A description of data analysis methods

An abstract is typically one to two paragraphs in length and should be written after you have completed the rest of the proposal.

Introduction

In many ways an introduction is an expanded version of the abstract. As such it should include:

1. any background material necessary to motivate the investigation of the chosen geologic problem

2. discussion of the significance of the problem

3. a brief summary of the data series and analysis methods

An introduction is typically three to four paragraphs long.

Background

A summary of previous work and results is important to demonstrating the significance of the problem to be addressed in the thesis. It is an opportunity to show what is known and unknown in the chosen field of research. A large amount of reading is usually required to prepare for writing the background section of a proposal. It is extremely important to a well written proposal to recognize which parts of this background material are fundamental to the proposed thesis research. For example, if the thesis topic is Holocene stream deposits in El Paso County, it is probably not necessary to write five pages on the tectonic history

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