Help for Ph.D. research proposal for scholarship... feasabilty & structure

[Adelaide9216]

Hello everyone,

so I started working on my Ph.D. research proposal for a scholarship that I have to apply for by September 2018 for entering my program in Fall 2019 (I am currently a master's student). I have a great idea for my Ph.D. thesis, I'm working on it with my Ph.D. supervisor, but I'm really struggling to figure out if the actual objectives of my thesis are achievable in 4-5 years full-time. I'm also having a hard time figuring out what it is about that topic that I want to study specifically. I'm lacking structure in other words, I don't know how to convey what it is I want to study. I've written grant proposals before and have been successful each time I applied for grants, but this one is a major one and I can't wrap my head around how to put into paper what it is that I want to focus on specifically in relation to that main topic. I'm especially struggling with coming up with a research question/objectives and sub-objectives. Help? 

[Sigaba]

13 hours ago, Adelaide9216 said:

Hello everyone,

so I started working on my Ph.D. research proposal for a scholarship that I have to apply for by September 2018 for entering my program in Fall 2019 (I am currently a master's student). I have a great idea for my Ph.D. thesis, I'm working on it with my Ph.D. supervisor, but I'm really struggling to figure out if the actual objectives of my thesis are achievable in 4-5 years full-time. I'm also having a hard time figuring out what it is about that topic that I want to study specifically. I'm lacking structure in other words, I don't know how to convey what it is I want to study. I've written grant proposals before and have been successful each time I applied for grants, but this one is a major one and I can't wrap my head around how to put into paper what it is that I want to focus on specifically in relation to that main topic. I'm especially struggling with coming up with a research question/objectives and sub-objectives. Help? 

Perform a literature review of your topic. Develop an understanding of how ongoing debates over various aspects of your topic have informed subsequent research and debate.

Concurrently, perform a literature on your discipline. Develop an understanding of the "big picture" issues that are driving the profession.

Through patience, diligence, and thoughtful reflection, do what you can to (a) establish a conversation among works on your topic as well as (b) a conversation among works about your discipline as well as (c) a conversation between (a) and (b). Your analysis of conversation A should reveal unexplored/unanswered questions. Your analysis of conversation B should reveal the received wisdom of your intended profession of what it needs to do to remain relevant. Your analysis of conversation C should reveal how your contribution to conversation A will move the needle in conversation B.

[Adelaide9216]

Thanks for the advice.

I am still working on my proposal, and am struggling to distinguish between goals, objectives and methods. I don't know why though. bBecause I was able to distingish those for two other scholarships (that I've won for my master's) but for my Ph.D, these categories get blurred to me. 

[rising_star]

Have you read the SSRC's "On the Art of Writing Proposals"? It might help you make some of these distinctions.

[Adelaide9216]

12 hours ago, rising_star said:

Have you read the SSRC's "On the Art of Writing Proposals"? It might help you make some of these distinctions.

Thanks! I did not know about this resource!

[rising_star]

44 minutes ago, Adelaide9216 said:

Thanks! I did not know about this resource!

That's unfortunate! It's an awesome resource that's been out there for a couple of decades. I find it gives really clear advice about what proposals need to do. Another good resource is the book Proposals that Work which I think is now in its sixth edition.