Difference Between Research Proposal And Dissertation

This blog aims to understand the key differences between a research proposal and a dissertation. Both hold their own value. We will walk you  through definitions and key differences between them. So let’s begin.

Understanding The Difference Between A Research Proposal & A Dissertation:

Before getting too deep dive in their key differences. First, let’s explore their definitions.

What Is A Research Proposal?

Simply put, a research proposal is a structured and formal document for your research. It is developed to convince the supervisor that your research is worth conducting. If you are presenting to donor agencies, then you must demonstrate why your research project deserves funding.

What it typically includes:

1. Title
2. Background / Introduction
3. Problem statement
4. Research questions and objectives
5. Literature review summary
6. Research methodology
7. Timeline
8. Expected outcomes

Thus, crafting a good research proposal is crucial whether you want to secure funding or gain approval from an academic committee. It also helps in the successful conferral of the degree. Furthermore, it demonstrates your ability to conduct research and analyze complex data. It shows that the project is manageable with the given resources. Finally, it serves as a guide or blueprint to keep the research on track and ensures academic integrity by defining clear objectives and a robust plan.

What Is A Dissertation?

A dissertation is a long and final research document that is usually presented at the end of the degree. In contrast to the research proposal, which only contains the first three chapters. A dissertation is basically the whole book, and its word count is significantly higher. It can be said that it is the most lengthy academic assignment, as it consists of literature reviews, presents findings, analysis, and conclusions from the actual research.

You can start working on dissertation once your research proposal gets a nod from the academic committee and you have  a sufficient amount of research. While writing the dissertation, some methodology can be re-applied. But it all depends on the methods used and the nature of the study.

The Major components of a dissertation are:

1. Title page
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Literature review
5. Methodology
6. Data collection & analysis
7. Results & discussion
8. Conclusion & recommendations
9. References & appendices

The dissertation also holds significant value. Firstly, it is a requirement for a doctoral degree to complete the academic year. Without a dissertation, your PHD can be on hold. Secondly, if you contribute meaningfully to the scientific community. Then it does not contribute to the knowledge, but also improves your self-esteem. While pursuing a dissertation, you can unlock various opportunities in research centres, academia, and multinational companies.

Key Differences Between A Research Proposal & A Dissertation:

The Following are the main differences between the research proposal and a dissertation.

Purpose:

A research proposal’s purpose is to plan the research so Dissertation Help New Zealand can successfully document the research and findings.

1. A research proposal is written in a way to persuade the readers. It contains the research problem statement, proposed methodology, and significance of the research. It is primarily written to gain approval in case you are asking for funding or as a blueprint for the researcher. To convince the academic committee or funder, it is important to address why the research is worth pursuing. Besides, it shows your demonstration and ability to conduct research in that area. So a strong research proposal can lead to research opportunities or can secure funding for various projects.
2. On the other hand dissertation is the ability of one to conduct research, analyze findings, and showcase mastery of the research methods. It mainly serves as a comprehensive and culmination project for graduate degrees. It is mostly required at the postgraduate level, such as MPhil and phd. A dissertation showcases a student’s ability to analyze complex data, design a study, analyze, and interpret the data. But the core purpose is to add new knowledge to an existing academic literature. Writing a dissertation also proves that a student can understand the different viewpoints on the same topic. Thus, this process honed critical thinking, research, and analytical skills. Furthermore, a dissertation can lead to future publication, presentations, and career opportunities.

To sum up, a research proposal is a blueprint for a building, while a dissertation is the building itself.

Stage Of Research:

1. Research proposal is mostly written in the future tense. It contains a research statement, a proposed methodology, and intended outcomes. It presents the funding opportunity in case of approval. However, it acts as a blueprint for the research in front of the academic committee.
2. However dissertation is mostly written after the research is completed and the research proposal is approved. Because the main goal is to conclude the research study and its findings. It is presented to a wider audience, which also consists of a panel of examiners, besides the academic committee.

Overall, a research proposal is a plan before a project outline. it contains a problem statement,  research methodology, and the potential outcome. On the other hand dissertation is the final document that presents the actual findings of the research.

Content Structure:

A research proposal is just a recipe, while a dissertation is the completed dish. So let’s explore their content structure in detail.

1. Proposal includes potential outcomes, research questions, and methods.

Introduction: What is the research question and the background of the study, and why is it important to address?

Methods: discussed which methods for data collection and analysis, and a timeline for completion of the project.

Expected outcomes: anticipate the findings and significance of the research

1. Dissertation includes results, data analysis, discussion, and conclusions.

Results/findings: a major new section that presents the data gathered and analysis for findings.

Discussion/conclusion: interpret the results. Discuss their implication, and how they fill the identified gap in the research, and suggest areas for future study.

A dissertation is a complete document. Whereas a research proposal lacks a discussion, a conclusion, and a results section.

Scope & Length:

A research proposal is a short and forward-looking plan. Whereas a dissertation is a detailed, backward-looking review of the original research.

1. Proposal is shorter and focuses on future work. It mainly focuses on what will be done. It provides a plan of sufficient detail to demonstrate feasibility and value. If considering its length. Then it is much shorter as compared to a dissertation. It is about 3 to 5 pages for master’s projects.
2. Dissertation is longer, detailed, and evidence-based. It is an expanded version plus the additional chapters of results, discussion, and conclusion. Furthermore, for a master’s dissertation length is around 100 pages, whereas PHD dissertation’s length is twice that length. Which means PHD dissertation consists of around 70,000 words or more.

In short research proposal is a consensus pitch and plan. However dissertation is the comprehensive final report of the execution and findings of that plan.

Approval Process:

1. Research proposal approval requires convincing the academic committee or funding bodies. To get approval successfully, your research proposal must ensure that the research proposal is relevant and the methodology is manageable. once approved, students get the formal permission to conduct research.
2. Similarly Dissertation goes through evaluation for graduation. Firstly, you need to present your dissertation in the form of a viva or thesis defense. The Dissertation Committee can ask challenging questions about your research findings, and to get approval, you need to give clear answers.

Writing Style:

A research proposal is future-oriented, and its writing style is persuasive. Because it aims to gain approval from the academic committee by demonstrating the research’s significance and feasibility. It mainly consists of the future tense, like what will be done. It mainly comprises of introduction, a literature review, a proposed methodology, and expected outcomes.

In contrast, a dissertation writing style is descriptive and analytical. It is a complete document that focuses on finding results, data analysis, discussion, and conclusion.  Mostly written in the past tense, that what has been done. It demonstrates one’s mastery of the specific subject.

Accountability:

A research proposal outlines what you intend to do. The accountability in the research proposal involves feasibility, relevance, methodology, and ethical considerations. Firstly, your proposal must ensure feasibility, which means your research is sound and completed within the given time and resources. Secondly, your chosen topic is relevant, and why study needed to be done. The proposed methods are approachable for answering the questions. Lastly, all potential ethical considerations are addressed.

On the other hand, a Dissertation shows what you actually did. The researcher is accountable for having conducted the study as per the plan. However, if a deviation occurs, then he will also provide sound reasoning. Especially at the doctoral level, a researcher is accountable for presenting original Research Paper Writing Services NZ. Lastly, the work must provide valid conclusions based on the evidence and discuss the implications for further study.

Conclusion:

Now we hope you understand the major difference between a dissertation and a research proposal well. So make sure to write a research proposal with a proper introduction, methodology, and the intended outcomes. Then craft a dissertation with all its necessities to unlock the door to many future opportunities. Good luck!