West Virginia University

WRITING, REVISING, SCHEDULING, and EXECUTING A THESIS PROPOSAL

The proposal process is very similar in style to competitive proposals for work in both consulting and industry. It is an exercise in both written and oral communication, as well as in coordination and planning of group activities. The skills you demonstrate in this process are as directly applicable to future careers as anything you will learn here. Good performance is a feather in your cap. Poor performance means there are still some things you have to learn.

Note that both proposals and defenses follow similar formats, but with differing objectives.

GUIDELINES

1. During your first semester in residence identify your research problem with the help of your advisor.
2. Contact potential committee members with a draft or abstract of topic; obtain their consent to serve.
3. Fill out research study plan form, get it signed by your advisor, and hand in to the Grad. Coordinator (currently Dr. Smosna).
4. During your second semester compose proposal draft with help of advisor. Consult the advisor in matters of format, scope, and organization. NOTE: the proposal is NOT a thesis itself! Your task is to identify a research problem, and tell what your purpose, objectives, and methodology will be in study of that problem. Ten well written pages plus figures is generally plenty.
5. Solicit reviews of proposal draft from advisor -- ask committee members if they wish to be involved in proposal revision. It is the advisor's obligation to prepare the student for proposal defense, and advisors are normally the principal reviewers. NUMBER AND DATE VERSIONS as they are reviewed.
6. Identify possible proposal dates by email discussion with committee, -- look down the road by 2-6 weeks if possible. Ideally you should propose before the beginning of your third semester (unless you have significant undergraduate deficiencies).
7. When proposal is fully revised and has advisor approval, send FINAL DRAFT out to committee members at least one week, preferably two weeks, from the defense date. At this time, your committee will decide whether the draft in current form is defensible by the chosen date. The date of the defense is not finalized until the entire committee agrees the proposal is ready.
8. If all committee members respond favorably, finalize the defense date, formally notify committee members, and post written notices to be up at least 5 days before the event.

In dealings with your committee, we would suggest that you consider doing the following

1. Treat them as a resource and as sources of advice. They have a lot of experience you need. That is especially true for your advisor, who is charged with preparing you.
2. Don't be excessively sensitive to review comments. Most students are still learning technical writing at this stage in their careers. Peer review is needed for everybody, and it improves both scientific and professional works.
3. Be courteous and communicative with your committee. Committee work is a service to the student. Give the committee lots of time to read and review. Use email notice to the whole committee to keep them posted on scheduling and on your progress.
4. Go the extra mile in your submissions. In your career, you'll get farther if you prepare carefully your submissions. This means neat drafts, lack of grammatical/spelling errors, completeness (especially figures!), effective writing, and good organization are all the signs of a professional and will be appreciated by committee members. Committee members do not like to rewrite student work. Make their job easier.

Communication, competence, confidence. If you employ all three, you'll enjoy the experience tremendously!

We hope this helps.