Tilburg Law School format for writing PhD proposals with regard to scholarships
Instructions for writing your thesis proposal
Answers on question 1-8 should contain a maximum of 2500 words, including footnotes, written
in Ariel font size 12. Please switch your word count on and put the number of words after every
section and mention the amount on the form. Only applications submitted in this format will be
accepted.
Name applicant
Date proposal
1. Title of the project.
2. A brief description of your project
3. The research question
a. Description of the field of study and the existing body of knowledge with reference to that.
What lacunae still exist in this area? What has been ignored so far? The central object of the
proposed research.
b.
The core question: which central question would you like to answer with your research? How
do you unfold the central question into sub-questions, so that the joint answers will generate
the answer to the central question?
4. The innovative character of the proposed project: What is the significance of your thesis? Does
it contain an original contribution to the field of existing knowledge? Is it of specific social or
theoretical relevance?
5. Considerations regarding theory and prior research: How does your research fit in with the
present state of research and theoretical discussions in your field? Which scholars in your field
do you find especially relevant to your work?
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6. Proposition, hypotheses and concepts: What is the central proposition? What are the working
hypotheses? What are the main theoretical concepts you intend to use?
7. The data: Describe the sources to be used for answering each of the research questions. How
do you intend to gather your data? Do you have whatever permission might be required? Have
the necessary informants agreed to cooperate? Do you have access to the archives you need?
8. Duration of the research: describe the period in which your PhD thesis can be completed,
including a short planning.
Additional information
9. Organisational context
a. What is the name of the proposed supervisor (professor appointed by Tilburg Law School)
b. Which other staff members would you like to have as members of your supervision committee
during your PhD trajectory?
c. Is your project related to the work of teachers, PhD students or programme objectives of
Tilburg Law School?
10. Who are the authors of the letters of recommendation letter you submit?
11. List your publications (if applicable) or student papers that are relevant to the project.
12. Provide a short and provisional bibliography that you wish to use in your research (maximum
of one A4 sheet).
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Criteria Research proposal
The Research proposal is the deciding part of the assessment. The criteria are as follows:
Subject

What is the significance of your thesis?

Does it contain an original contribution to the field of existing knowledge?

Is it of specific social or theoretical relevance?
Research question

Has the research question been formulated clearly?

If there are more research questions, is it clear how they relate to each other?

Are the objectives of the project in line with the research question?

Is the level of ambition realistic/feasible?
Research method

Is the research method described fully and clearly?

Is the chosen research method appropriate and effective?

What previous research is referred to?

Is the approach to the literature review/empirical research/comparative law research
sufficiently elaborated?

If the project concerns multidisciplinary research, is this reflected in the research method?
Contact
For any remaining questions, please contact tgls-appl@tilburguniversity.edu