# | Component of a thesis proposal | % of experts agreement of | Experts additional remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Proposed definition | % | |||
1 | Research title | The first item that appears to the reader. It invites the reader to proceed to other contents | 73 | It should be reflective of research topic, questions, objectives, content and approach and convey the aim, the purpose, the scope and the outcome |
2 | The abstract | The first item that appears in the TP after the title and of the same significance. It calls the reader in or alienates him out | 79 | Although some experts commented that in several schools an abstract is not a compulsory component of TP, 79% of the experts agreed that the abstract is needed |
3 | Keywords | A set of words or terms used for archiving, tabulation and electronic search on databases | 75 | Keywords are better written by splitting the title into its separate single words or terms. They should include essential terms describing the research topic, the unique sub-specializations and focus of the research (what is researched), the contextual scope of the research (where and when) and the used research methodology (how to conduct the research) |
4 | Background | A gradual preparation from the larger scientific field to the specific field, from wider geographic area to the immediate area, and from the strategic level to the level closer to the examined problem | 74 | The background should place the study within the larger context of the research, create interest to the reader and catch his attention, help him understand why the study is significant, include limitation and arguments of pervious research, and include quotations and statistics leading the reader to go to the next component of the TP |
5 | Statement of the problem | |||
5–1 | Statement of the general research problem | A narrative describing a negative situation prevailing in the investigated urban environment/ecosystem or architectural setting | 92 | A statement which stimulates interest in the study; scientifically explained to convey a simple, clear and specific issue to which a reader can relate”; “equivalent to the negative wording of the research aim”; and “in the humanities and social sciences many dissertations endeavour to establish the conditions of the problem, not to solve it |
5–2 | Statement of the research sub-problems | A narrative that describes the general problem in detail; sub-problems are simply the various causes of the general problem | 84 | One expert commented that “the above definition is valid and useful in causal research types only; other research types might consider different approaches” |
5–3 | Consequences of the problem | A narrative that describes the effects of sub-problems on the investigated environment | 83 | None |
6 | Research questions | A set of questions the research tries to answer. Each question usually covers one of the research sub-problems | 96 | None |
7 | Research aim/goal/objectives | The goal should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely | 96 | None |
7–1 | General aim of the research | A specific and clear statement presenting the overall purpose of the study | 96 | None |
7–2 | Procedural objectives of the research | The sub-goals emanating from the main aim of the study. They provide a roadmap and illustrate important stages leading to sequential targets towards achieving the general aim | 79 | They are articulated sub-goals that in their totality compose the main research aim |
7–3 | Development objectives of the research | The objectives which focus on solving the research sub-problems and eventually solving the main problem of the investigated situation | 74 | None |
8 | Research scope | A statement which defines the thematic, geographical/spatial and temporal limits of research | None | |
9 | Research significance and contributions | Highlight potential positive impacts of the study on the life and environmental qualities | 87 | Expected contributions can only be tentative in the early research proposal stage, the researcher must remain open to unexpected findings upon the finishing stage of his/her study |
10 | Preliminary review of literature | Builds an initial understanding of the problem, identify the most important variables considered, cite methodologies used; make use of the latest findings and record the various recommendations/solutions suggested | 91 | Related directly to the stated research questions; identify areas of controversy in the literature; describe the relationship of each work to others; point the way forward for further research; and be organized into categories or themes |
11 | Research methodology | Contains explanation of the appropriate methods to be used in data collection, analysis, synthesis and presentation; for the extraction of results; and for the development of appropriate approaches or solutions to deal with the research problem | 82 | None |
12 | Research structure and timeline | A brief statement of the main sections of the master's/doctoral thesis arranged on the tentative dates for completing the various stages of the research | 95 | None |
13 | List of references | A list which contains a reasonable number of relevant references on the topic | 82 | None |
An extracted list of success rules for thesis proposals
Rule # | % of experts agreed | Success rule | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Component of a thesis proposal | Relationship nature (→) | Its concise definition (and/or) its relationship to another component/s | ||
1 | 60% | Research title | Should reflect | The general aim and scope of the research |
The negative wording of the research problem | ||||
2 | 75% | The abstract | Should be | A concise brief of all necessary components of the research proposal |
3 | 74% | Keywords | Should include | Terms representing research title, topic, unique sub-specializations, methodology and scope |
4 | 74% | Research background | Should cover | A gradual contextual literary analysis relevant to the study preparing the reader to enter the study |
5 | The statement of the problem | |||
5–1 | 73% | Statement of the general research problem | Should reflect | The main cause of a quantitative and/or qualitative deficiency in the environment under investigation |
The negative wording of the research aim | ||||
5–2 | 80% | Research sub-problems | Should describe | The subsidiary causes of the main problem |
5–3 | 79% | Consequences of the Problem | Should describe | Subsidiary symptoms of the general illness of the examined environment |
6 | 79% | Research questions | Should rephrase | The research sub-problems in a question format |
The research objectives in a question format | ||||
7 | 63% | Research aims, goals and objectives | Should be | SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) |
7–1 | 63% | General aim of the research | Should reflect | A target responding to the general research problem/question |
A potential alternative scenario that may enable the development of solutions | ||||
The research title with the same or different wording | ||||
7–2 | 57% | Procedural objectives of the research | Should articulate/represent | The sub-goals that compose the main research aim |
The stages of the research | ||||
The sections or chapters of the thesis | ||||
7–3 | 70% | Development objectives of the research | Should reflect | Targeted solutions to the sub-problems of the study |
Targeted possible cures/fixes for the subsidiary causes of the problem | ||||
8 | 83% | Research scope | Should cover | Thematic, geographic and temporal limits of the study |
9 | 87% | Research significance and contributions | Should highlight | The expected positive theoretical or practical impacts of the research or both |
10 | 95% | Preliminary review of literature | Should cover | A well-documented, structured, analysed and synthesized critical review of relevant research |
11 | 82% | Research methodology | Should explain | The methods, techniques and tools used to accomplish the research objectives in each stage of the study |
12 | 82% | Research structure and timeline | Should articulate/represent | The stages/phases of the research and their expected completion dates |
The main chapters of the research distributed along the completion timeline | ||||
13 | 77% | List of references | Should present | The references relevant to the research problem |
14 | General rule | The thesis proposal (using future tenses) | Should resemble | The general introduction of the final thesis (using past tenses) |
Source(s) : Prepared by the authors based on the above analysis and the results of expert inquiry
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The authors acknowledge the sincere assistance provided by the team of experts from several Architectural Schools worldwide to verify and improve the TP Conception. Appreciation is also extended to the post graduate students of the College of Architecture and Planning, IAU, who have positively responded to the students' opinion survey.
About the authors.
Mahmoud Abdellatif is a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He received an MSc from Assuit University, Egypt in 1977 and another MSc from Iowa State University in 1981 and a PhD degree from Texas A&M University in 1985. He has taught and practiced Architecture and Urban Planning for more than 45 years in Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. His main research focus is on research methods, strategic planning and design and development approaches. He is currently the adviser of IAU Vice President for Studies, Development and Community Services. His last book (published in Arabic) entitled The Simplifying-Integrating Approach to Contemporary Design, Planning and Urban Development articulates his own problem-solving approach. He is the principle editor of the Strategic Plan of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University 2018–2025.
Reham Abdellatif is an Assistant Professor in Architecture, College of Design, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. She obtained an MSc degree from Assiut University in 2003 and a PhD degree from Newcastle University, UK, in 2012. She has taught and practiced Architecture and Interior Design for more than 22 years in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Her main research focus is on Architectural Education and Curriculum Development, Analysing Design Learning Activities, Distant/Online Learning, Communication and Computation, VR and Information Technologies in Architecture. She ran the interior design curriculum development committee in Assiut University and in IAU.
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The framework of the research undertaken by AUID doctoral students in the first semester (2021) traces a very varied landscape and often with interdisciplinary characteristics. Concerning the centrality of the architectural project, the backbone of the program, almost all the proposals introduce external elements involving other-dimensional scales, social and technical problems, and references ...
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