Thesis Proposals: Quick and Dirty

The University of Massachusetts provides a quick guide to preparing and writing a thesis or dissertation proposal. Here are some key points from the article:

1. While proposals may be had to find online, dissertations are readily available. Review the table of contents in a variety of dissertations to get an idea of what you should expect to include in your work.
2. Talk to your advisor(s). He/She/They will know when you’re ready to write and provide insight into both the process and your own research.
3. Organizing your thesis around conference papers can help you maintain hard deadlines.
4. Keep your proposal between 20 and 80 pages, but check with your advisor and colleagues for the typical length.

Here is the link to the UMASS article: http://ciir.cs.umass.edu/~strohman/proposal-tips.html

Keep in mind that the guidelines listed here are specific to UMASS, but the general information may be quite useful to you.