Reaching a workable plan

How to start

After the first meeting, you will have received feedback from me regarding your research idea, typically with some skeptical comments. I will also help you to identify the most "vulnerable" issue in your idea. Successfully overcoming such issues will be key in finishing the thesis.

What to prepare

An first draft for the thesis proposal, which is also a "workable plan"

Guidance for preparation

Working towards the first draft of the proposal relies aims at overcoming the most critical issue in your idea. Often the most critical issue is about methodology. However, in the past, it also happened to some students that the most critical issue is "motivation" (why doing this research?), "literature" (what's new in this research?), or even "data" (do we have data at all to verify that?)

Take "methodology" as an example. If that is the most critical issue, then you need to write down the main methodologies you are going to use in your first draft. That often involves careful notation definitions, writing down the benchmark model, and explaining (in words or in formulas) your proposed method. With the details, the first draft demonstrates a workable plan.

Besides details for the "most critical issue", the first draft should also contain a general structure of the full thesis proposal including "other" parts. For instance, even if "Introduction" is not the most critical issue, you are expected to list a structure of the Introduction in the first draft.

Preferably, the length of the first draft is about 5 pages. Exceeding that is possible, but you will then expect longer time till feedback.

What to expect

You will receive detailed feedback on the first draft. If needed (often needed), we have a second meeting to discuss the first draft and agree on the workable plan.

Once a workable plan is reached, the status of your thesis is "registered".

What can go wrong

If your first draft does not meet the standard, i.e. does not overcome the most critical issue, I will provide your feedback and guidance in the second meeting. Then you have another chance to submit a second draft of the proposal.

If the second draft still does not meet the standard, I will have to terminate the supervision process and hand you back to the thesis coordinator.

Time line regarding this Step

After handling in your first draft, it typically takes 1-2 weeks till receiving my feedback and having the second meeting.