Chapter 1: Beginning and end

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Chapter 1 is the official beginning of your proposal and usually the last chapter written, it is a very important chapter in that it sets up the reader to understand an overview of the study and to appreciate the need for it. Let’s start with an outline from the checklist: Introduction, Background, Problem Statement, Purpose, Research Questions and Hypotheses, Theoretical and Conceptual Framework, Nature of the Study, Definitions, Assumptions, Scope and Delimitations, Limitations, Significance, Summary. I am sure that the first thing you notice is that there are many sections, each of these will be quite short- think of them as concise summaries.  

Again there are many resources to help with each of the sections (see the writing center and research center). I am just going to talk about the area that students have the most problems with, the introduction. The introduction needs to build a concise case as to the need for the study. Start general (think demographics) becoming more narrow. Clearly point out the gap in the literature and how your study addresses this gap. Also, mention the social change implications of the study. By the end of the introduction, the reader should be convinced that your study is the next logical step in the progression of the topic. They should know what type of study you are doing (e.g., survey, interviews) and how this method adds to filling the gap in the literature. 

You have a draft of the first 3 chapters, then what? First give yourself a cheer and celebrate, then begin the rewriting process. Rewriting?? Yes, you have done a first draft, hopefully including all of the necessary parts, but it is rough, and needs a lot of polishing. I suggest reading through the draft in full, make notes to yourself (I use track changes) and mark areas that are not complete, that may not be clear to someone reading it for the first time, or that needs more support with citations. Then start at the beginning and read each sentence aloud, is there a way to make it clearer, more concise? Picture your grandmother who knows nothing about psychology reading it, would she understand that sentence? Check for any pronouns (they, he, and she), is it clear who the pronouns are referring to? Check your plurals versus possessives (this makes me crazy when they are wrong): plurals (e.g. “girls”) do not have an apostrophe, possessives do have an apostrophe (e.g., “the girl’s bike;” “the girls’ bikes”).  

Do you know a former English major? Someone who is a great writer? If so, ask them to read through your paper and offer suggestions.  

Let’s consider for a minute, accepting criticism. No one likes to be criticized, but it is part of life and particularly part of academia. Instead of taking it personally, remember you are a student, isn’t part of that learning new things? Don’t you want the best paper and project that it is possible to have? The only way it will happen is to listen to criticism. Let’s assume for a moment that you have just received an edited draft from your committee member, how to you handle this? I suggest reading through their comments then setting it aside for a few hours- to a day. Think about them, instead of reacting. When you are calm and ready, start at the beginning and take each comment as a learning experience. Fix it, then look for similar issues in the paper and fix those. Go on to the 2^nd comment, etc. I look at comments and suggestions as a challenge, can I fix these and have the person read the paper again and not find any issues? When you are done with your revisions read through the paper one more time (at least) and make sure it reads well.

Next time we’ll take a look at the URR step and proposal defense.