THESIS PROPOSAL WRITING WORKSHOP

1. THESIS PROPOSAL WRITING
WORKSHOP
Abdirahman Moallim Ibrahim, MBChB, MPH(IS)

2. WHAT IS A RESEARCH?
Research is basically an exercise that entails an in depth search for existing
information, for newly emerging knowledge, or for insights into a subject or an issue
that predicated the study.
It’s a systematic, methodical and ethical process of inquiry and investigation
Addresses practical problems and generates practical solutions

3. Types of medical
research

4. WHAT IS A
RESEARCH
PROPOSAL?
• A research proposal is a concise and
coherent summary of your proposed
research
• It sets out the central issues or questions that
you intend to address
• It outlines the general area of study within
which your research falls, referring to the
current state of knowledge and any recent
debates on the topic

5. WHAT IS A
RESEARCH
PROPOSAL?
• Simply put, a research proposal is a
structured, formal document that
explains what you plan to research (your
research topic), why it’s worth researching
(your justification), and how you plan to
investigate it (your methodology)

6. Proposal outline
• Title page
• Registration
• Background of the study
• Problem statement
• Objectives of the study
• Literature review
• Methodology
• Budget and timeline
• Research impact
• Conclusion
• References

7. Formulating the title
• Concise and specific (should only contain the words that hint the content
of the research).
• Remove words like (the study of, the implications of, an assessment of, a
comparative study, investigation, etc.).
• Should be in declarative form, not in interrogative form
• 3 lines regardless the number of words
• It should contain variables, population characteristics and settings.
• For instance, prevalence and risk factors for diabetic foot ulcer among
elderly diabetic patients attending at tertiary clinics in Mogadishu,
Somalia

8. COMPONENTS OF AN INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Information
1.2 Statement of the
Problem/Problem
Statement
1.3 Justification /
Rationale /
Relevance
1.4 Research
Questions
1.5 General and
Specific Objectives
8
1.6 Hypothesis
-Null
-Alternate

9. Setting the objectives

10. Objectives
General
objectives
Specific
objectives
Something that is set to be achieved
Main purpose of the Research/study/project Definitive steps in achieving the purpose.
Closely related to statement of the problem

11. Characteristics of a good
research objective (SMART)
• Specific (Well defined/Single-minded)
• Measurable (quantifiable)- progress monitoring or
tracking
• Achievable (feasible/Attainable)-considering available
resources
• Relevant/Realistic (makes sense and fits the purpose of
the study)
• Time-bound (within time limits/deadlines/specific
timelines for completion)

12. Examples of Specific Objectives
SMART Objectives
• To provide 50% of pregnant women
with ANC by SBA by December 2025
• To determine the proportion of
women attending the Immunization
clinic at a PHC who have good
knowledge TD between July-sept
2024
Objectives that are not SMART
• To provide pregnant women with ANC
care
• To determine the proportion of
women attending the Immunization
clinic at a PHC who have good
knowledge and practice of TD
between July-sept 2024

13. Conceptual framework
A conceptual framework includes
one or more formal theories (in
part or whole) as well as other
concepts and empirical findings
from the literature
It is used to show relationships
among these ideas and how they
relate to the research study

14. Literature review

15. Domains to effective LR
Effective literature search (Boolean logic)
Language domain (vocabulary and grammar)
Critical writing (reading, thinking and writing)

16. MATERIALS AND METHODS
4.1 STUDY AREA 4.2 STUDY DESIGN
4.3 INCLUSION AND
EXCLUSION CRITERIA
4.3.1INCLUSION 4.3.2 EXCLUSION
4.4 STUDY DURATION
4.5 SAMPLE
DETERMINATION
4.6 ETHICAL
CONSIDERATION
4.6.1THICAL APPROVAL 4.6.2CONSENT
4.6.3CONFIDENTIALITY
AND PRIVACY
4.7 STUDY PROTOCOL
4.8.4 DATA
COLLECTION
4.9.4 DATA ANALYSIS 4.10 EXPECTED RESULT

17. REFERENCE APPENDIX RESEARCH
BUDGET
WORK PLAN

18. bibliography
Ejele GU. Forty rules of proposal and dissertation
writing. Trop J Med Res. 2022:21(1): xix-xxii.
DOI:10.5281/zenodo.6881537
OxbridgeEssays. Dissertation introduction, conclusion
and abstract [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Aug 8]
George T. How to Write a Dissertation or Thesis
Proposal [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2023 Sep 3]. Available
from: https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/thesis-
dissertation-proposal/
Postgrads Solutions. Writing a Dissertation Proposal
[Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023. Aug 4]. Available from:
https://www.postgrad.com/advice/exams/dissertatio
ns_and_theses/dissertation_proposal/
18

19. THANK YOU