Writing a thesis or research proposal?

Step 1: Find the right client for your graduation internship

Are you planning to write a bachelor’s or master’s thesis for a client during your internship? While you may already have a topic idea for your thesis, it is essential to also find a suitable internship organization and client. Your client is the one who will assign you the task and therefore has a vested interest in the issue being resolved or addressed. This ensures that your research will have practical relevance. Thus, conducting thorough preliminary research is crucial at this stage. Make sure to obtain all the necessary information from your client in order to carry out your research effectively. Additionally, document all responsibilities and tasks in your research proposal or action plan.

Step 2: Involve your thesis supervisor of your course in your proposal

In addition to your client, you often have a knowledgeable course supervisor as well. This supervisor primarily ensures that your research aligns with the graduation requirements of your program. Hence, it is crucial to discuss your initial research and findings with your supervisor and collaborate on the direction of your study. The more specific you can be in describing the problem, the more effectively you can formulate your research questions.

Step 3: Choose your topic for your research

Make sure you choose a subject that you have an affinity with or already have experience with during your training. If your client already has a specific topic in mind, conduct research to uncover the underlying problem. To do this, utilize preliminary research and ask appropriate questions; the 6W model can be a helpful tool for this. Remember, your client is seeking a practical solution, so focus on identifying the knowledge gap - what knowledge is lacking within the organization to solve this problem? Once you have completed your research and written your thesis, you can prepare an advisory report or implementation plan to offer the client practical advice.

Step 4: Problem orientation or problem analysis

Before writing your research proposal, you should conduct a problem analysis, also known as a context analysis. In the problem analysis of your thesis, you analyze the problem you wish to investigate and resolve. You describe the problem, identify what is going awry, why it is problematic, and who is impacted by it. Additionally, you provide relevant contextual information about the problem. It is important to elucidate why investigating the problem is significant. Your problem analysis will lead to formulating your problem statement, defining the scope, and considering any limitations.

Step 5: Formulate your research question and sub-questions

Based on the problem and objective, you can formulate your main question and sub-questions. The answers to these questions will guide your research and assist in answering your main question.

Step 6: Determine your research method or research design

Here you will explain how you will approach the research and the methods you will use to conduct your research, including who, where, when, and how. The research design provides structure to your research and helps with data collection and analysis.

Step 7: Write your research plan

You have gathered a significant amount of information and can now begin drafting your research plan. The research plan is often referred to by various names such as action plan (PVA), research proposal, or proposal. It serves as a preparatory document that you create before embarking on writing your thesis. The plan outlines the methodology you will employ to address your main question and offers a systematic approach to your research.

A research plan consists of two main parts

• Problem orientation: In this section, you will formulate your objective, problem definition, and research questions. You will describe what you want to research and explain the relevance of this topic. Your problem orientation will help the reader understand the context of your research and provide direction for your study.
• Research design: In this part, you describe the research methods you will apply and the research design. You provide a description of the methods you will use to conduct your research, including details about who, where, when, and how. The research design provides structure to your research and assists with data collection and analysis.

You then discuss your research plan with both your supervisor and your educational advisor. Once the plan is approved, you can start working on your thesis.

Begin with your preliminary research and write a clear research plan.

In short, thorough preliminary research is crucial for a successful start to your thesis process. It enables you to quickly identify the core of the problem, clearly define your research, and prevent getting stuck during the thesis process. By focusing yourself and your research, you lay a solid foundation for conducting your research and writing your thesis.

Need help with your research plan?

Do you find it difficult to create a good research plan, or have you received feedback on your submitted proposal? With just a few hours of guidance, we can usually get you back on track. Want to know how we can support you? Feel free to request a free consultation, and we will contact you