Criteria for Assessment of Dissertation Proposals

1. Introduction and Statement of the Problem:
   • Does the introduction provide a general overview of the issues surrounding the study?
   • Is the problem under investigation clearly stated?
   • Is evidence used to demonstrate the significance of the problem?
   • Are important terms defined?
   • Are assumptions clearly stated?
   • Are major assertions that lay ground work for the study articulated?

2. Background and Review of the Literature:
   • Is the study grounded in a larger body of research?
   • Is the review current and representative of work in the area?
   • Are related studies examined critically and gaps identified?
   • Does the review provide a clear rationale of the study?
   • Is the review well organized, using sub-sections where appropriate?

3. Research Questions/Hypotheses:
   • Do the research questions/hypotheses develop a specific focus for the study?
   • Do the research questions/hypotheses support the problem statement and background sections?
   • Are the research questions worded so as to imply responses more complex than "Yes/No"?

4. Methodology and Limitations:
   • Is the research design described clearly and appropriate for the study?
   • Are the sample and participants fully described?
   • Is the sampling plan appropriate for the study?
   • Are data gathering procedures fully explicated and appropriate for the study?
   • Are analytical procedures fully explicated and appropriate for the study?
   • Is the technical merit of instruments described clearly?
   • Are issues related to limitations and/or trustworthiness satisfactorily identified and addressed?
   • Do the sampling, data collection, and analytical procedures appropriately match the problem statement and research questions?
   • Are the instruments or interview guides acceptable and appropriate for the study?

5. Other Concerns:
   • Does the proposal demonstrate a high quality of written expression?
   • Is the potential cohesive and coherent?
   • Does a consistent conceptual framework and/or paradigm unite the problem statement, research questions, and methods section?
   • Is the tone of the proposal impartial, unbiased, and scientific?
   • Are applicable support documents (appendices) included and satisfactory?
   • Is an appropriate style (e.g. APA style) used correctly and consistently?
   • Does the proposed study adhere to conventional wisdom related to ethics?
   • Does the abstract summarize the contents of the proposal clearly and accurately?