Writing your proposal

The proposal

Most dissertations start with a short proposal: your question, why it matters, how you will study it, and what sources you will use. It is a plan, not the final work.

AI can help you structure and pressure test the plan, but the substance must be yours.

Honest ways to use it here:

• Ask it to list the usual sections of a proposal in your field
• Paste your draft and ask what a marker might find unclear or weak
• Ask it to suggest questions your supervisor is likely to raise

Avoid asking it to write the proposal for you. A proposal in someone else's words will fall apart the moment your supervisor asks a follow up question.

Practice

Write a one page proposal draft yourself: question, why it matters, method, and three sources you expect to use. Then ask AI to point out the weakest part, and improve that part in your own words.