• 2-minute read
• 23rd April 2014

Possible Pitfalls of a PhD Proposal

Your PhD proposal is a chance to demonstrate your passion for and understanding of the subject you wish to explore. It is also a vital first step on a longer journey, setting the foundations for your research.

Pitfalls to Avoid when Writing a PhD Proposal

As such, if you are applying for a PhD, you need to keep an eye out for the possible pitfalls of writing your proposal.

1. Ensure that you clearly state your research question. It will need to address a recognisable gap in the existing literature.
2. If you are conducting experimental research, develop a clear and testable hypothesis that will guide your research.
3. As well as your hypothesis and a brief examination of background literature, your proposal should involve information about the methods you intend to use and the expected impact of your research.
4. Make sure to check with the department to which you are applying whether there are staff available, and interested, in supervising your research.
   If no one can supervise your project, your PhD proposal is unlikely to succeed. Contact potential supervisors early on while developing your proposal, as they may even be able to give you helpful feedback.
5. Your proposal needs to be well structured and easy to understand.
   When a proposal is rambling or difficult to follow, you will have a much harder time convincing anyone that you will produce a high quality thesis at the end of the PhD process!
6. Make sure that the scope of your project is realistic. Remember that you’ll likely be working with limited time and resources, so you need to ensure that your project can be completed to a good standard within the time allocated.
7. Have your PhD proposal checked by a professional; ideally, one of our expert proofreaders!

If you manage to avoid all of these pitfalls, your PhD proposal will have a better chance of success.