YOUR THESIS PROPOSAL

Step 1. Complete your written proposal

See separate FAQ on advisor/topic/proposal writing Follow the IIMBA rules and regulations regarding timelines

Step 2. Create your ppt

The purpose of the proposal presentation is to Ensure there is proper motivation (i.e. the gap in previous research) Ensure there is significance in your objective (benefits to academics and hopefully practitioners) Approve your research questions and/or hypotheses and model Approve your research design and methodology (and ensuring the study is feasible)

Use a simple background (lighter color is better, with dark text) so it doesnt detract from the presentation Avoid too many distracting animations Remember to put in citations (use a smaller font size for citations, so it doesnt take over the slide) REMEMBER TO ADD SLIDE NUMBERS so the panel members can ask you to easily skip to a certain slide number Keep the actual words to a minimum, and speak more to it (your audience should not be reading your slides for content but for guidance); also, dont put info on there just to show them you prepared it ie. dont say I will skip this as I dont have time to read it because it shows you did not prepare your time adequately Your proposal should be no longer than 15 minutes; the general spread would be: 3 min: introduction to presentation, agenda, general objective of study (not RQs) 5-6 min: lit review, building up to your RQs/hypotheses and model, and to significance of research 5-6 min: research design and methodology: target sample (including sampling plan and how many respondents); then it depends on the type of research youre doing, ie model and hypotheses vs research questions RQs: I would introduce RQ by RQ, explaining where you got your questionnaire items from...if you haven't already covered it in your lit review, and how you will analyze it/answer the RQ [I wouldnt include theory about the analysis methods, but rather what you are using and your targets/rules you are following...if you want to say why you are using one method over another you could leave that for Q&A* perhaps if you are short on time]

Of course you can deviate from this, making it flow however works best for you. * For Q&A I would put all the slides that you originally made for content of your presentation but that you had to remove to get your time down to 15 min. Put these slides after your Open Forum / Thank you for your attention / Q&A slide so the panel members have it in front of them, and you can jump to that slide if they ask you a question related to it. It shows youre well prepared!

1 FunkyOwen 2009.12.18

Step 3. Prepare for your proposal day

Besides following the office paperwork regulations I would also: Watch proposals of fellow scholars well before it is your time, so you know what is expected of you and the types of questions asked Coordinate snacks and drinks for the panel members with the others that present on the same day as you Find out what the panel members prefer ie ask their TAs or others who had them on their panel, or ask them directly

Arrange for a friend to come take a few pictures (without flash) while you are presenting (it is a momentous occasion!) Arrange for a friend to help you take notes regarding what the panel members ask/suggest, as you will be too flustered Print out your ppt and have it laid out for the panel members before they arrive Practice, practice, practice! (Time yourself to make sure you are around 15 minutes!)

Step 4. Presenting
Remember: it is ok to take a pause now and then use it to catch your breath, calm yourself, make a point When the panel member asks a question LISTEN to what they are asking. If you are unsure what they are asking, confirm: To confirm you are asking how I calculated my target sample size? Dont know the answer to a question? Thats OK! If you do not know the answer, be honest and humble i.e. thank them and say that this is something you have not considered before, perhaps it can be so-and-so, and do they have a suggestion or any advice Trying to bluff is the worst thing you can do, as most likely you will be wrong Dont get into an argument with them. If you feel you need to defend your point, politely explain it to them. If they still are adamant about their point, thank them and agree it is an important point they bring up later you can think more about it who knows, maybe theyre right after all (and maybe theyre not)~~

Dont agree with their comment? Thats OK!

2 FunkyOwen 2009.12.18