Every NACS graduate student must have their Thesis Proposal approved by their advisory committee before the end of their semester 3 (5 for students without a Masters), and a thesis proposal approval form submitted to the Graduate Secretary. Approval of the proposal involves submitting a written proposal to the Advisory Committee for review (allow at least two weeks for the review of each draft), and once deemed suitable, presenting the proposal orally at a committee meeting.
The written component of the thesis proposal contains the following content:
1) Introduction
2) Method (including proposed analyses)
3) Current Results
4) Proposed Results
5) Implications
All proposals will be reviewed against the following criteria.
- Comprehensively summarizes and references the relevant literature as it pertains to the thesis topic.
- Critically points out the most relevant and important theories and empirical evidence to establish a clear purpose and contribution for the thesis.
- Demonstrates an accurate and deep understanding of the research literature (the authors/ theorists would be in full agreement with their ideas or findings being summarized in this way).
- Hypotheses are well substantiated and clearly follow from the literature review.
- Research design is clearly articulated and follows logically from the literature review.
- The method allows for the optimal testing of the research hypotheses.
- All relevant measures are described in detail and appropriate based on the subject matter of the thesis.
- Proposed analyses are described in detail.
- Any data that have already been collected and analyzed, and that the student proposes to include in the final thesis, are reported.
- Results are conveyed through main text and tables/figures, and appropriate statistical analyses are reported.
- Predicted results are also presented (in tables or figures) to demonstrate a mastery of the underlying theory and proposed analyses.
- Strengths and weaknesses of the research design and measurement are clearly articulated.
- The implications, and importance, of the current or proposed findings for theory and practice are described in detail for the topic domain.
- Proposal is structured with a clear organization.
- All aspects of the proposal are explored in a highly systematic and disciplined manner.
- Appropriate elements of style are consistently used throughout (e.g., transition sentences between paragraphs, appropriate headings).
- Sentences are clear and concise.
- There are no grammatical errors.
- There is consistent and accurate use of APA style.