How detailed should a propsal be?

Correct spelling............

Can you be a bit more specific. Is it Soc-sci or science-science? Blue skies or an application for an already formed research project? Funded or no?

Good question! I'm writing mine at the moment and wondering the same thing. I'm in humanities so I might not be able to help, but I can tell you what I've been told so for. Basically I keep being told to make some bold conclusions. They will change once you're on the course, but I think they want to know what you think you might find. The general structure, flow and readability of the propsal seems to be paramount, as does the reasons why you think the research should be undertaken, and why you think you're the best person for the job. Vague, nut hope it helps... Good Luck!

I want to look at the link (possible) between anarchism and atheism. I guess I'm probably putting too much stress on myself before I've even started.

In my opinion the most important thing is to explain why is your proposal relevant to your discipline i.e. what can you contribute in terms of knowledge, and you must also show that the topic has not been fully explored so that you can say something new about it. That can include a short bibliography related to your topic which you may use in your PhD but which doesn't cover the area you intend to study.

Hi Gary- I hated writing my proposal- I think proposals usually include an overview of your subject and why you think it is significant and needs further research. A methodology section and the relationship of your topic to existing literature, as well as maybe a section on aims if you can fit it in....Have you contacted Loughborough or York with your topic?- There is an expert on Kropotkin in Loughborough, and York have a really good political philosophy department. York also has quite a good guide for writing proposals...

Hi Gary.

This might be helpful

http://www.eastchance.com/howto/res_prop.asp

Hi all,

Thanks for all the replies, they're all very helpful.
Vince, is the Kropotkin expert Ruth Kinna? I'm in discussion with two lecturers at Goldsmiths, both are anarchism experts.

Yes- I think she wrote her thesis on Kropotkin and scientific anarchism. Best of luck with everything. I was thinking of doing my thesis on the Russian anarchists- Incidentally, and sorry if you've already read this, but have you had a look at Tolstoy's 'kingdom of god is within you'?- you probably already have, but I thought I'd mention it in case you haven't as it relates to what you want to write. Good luck.

Read it a few months ago (again), it's in a collection called 'Government is Violence'. The Ukrainian Nestor Makhno is a very interesting character if you're going along the Russian route.

Hi again- thought you might have read that. I'm doing a thesis on something a bit different now, but good luck with yours- ni dieu, ni maitre and all that!

Look at the application guidelines - different institutions want different things. Some want a very detailed outline - others I've heard just want literally a few words

Thanks SixKitten, they want about 2000 words. If I stop panicking I'll probably see things a lot more clearly.

Gary, if you are having problems putting your ideas together then the book 'Developing Effective Research Proposals' by Keith F. Punch, (2000, Sage Publications) is definately worth a look. It is very useful when devising proposals in any area of social science.