Proposal Structure – Main features
Maximum length is 35 pages, excluding references and appendices. Font size 12 and double-spaced.
Title and Abstract: 1 page
- A concise and descriptive title.
- A summary of approximately 300 words that outlines the research goals, methods, and expected outcomes.
Chapters (Total: 28-30 pages)
Chapter 1: Introduction
This chapter sets the context for the research. It should include at least the following three elements.
- Background: An introduction that sets the stage and explains the context by discussing the state-of-the-art and current understanding of the topic.
- Overview and Motivation: A contextualized high-level overview of the proposed research and a clear motivation for it, covering broad goals and anticipated contributions to the field.
Chapter 2: Preliminary Work
Summarize the preliminary work that has already been done. This aims to demonstrate the feasibility of the research and provide early results.
Chapter 3: Articulation of Proposed Research
This is the most detailed chapter of the proposal, and it should include:
- Research Objectives: Clearly state the aims of the research.
- Methodology: Provide a detailed explanation of the research methods, including theoretical frameworks, experimental setups, or computational models.
- Expected Outcomes: Describe the expected results and their potential impact on the field.
- Risk analysis: Anticipated problems and potential mitigation strategies.
Tentative Timeline with Milestones and Gantt Chart: 2 pages
This section should provide a timeline for the research, including significant milestones (e.g., papers, conferences, book chapters, etc.) and a Gantt chart that visually represents the timeline and critical progress points.
Resources Needed: 1 page
In the final section, you should estimate the resources needed to complete the proposed research project. Examples are:
- Observation time at telescopes;
- Computing resources, like access to an HPC facility;
- Data collection;
- Any other resources needed to complete your research project;
Appendix
Anything that exceeds the structure discussed so far should be included in an appendix and referenced throughout the proposal. However, its content should be optional to evaluate the PhD proposal.