Possible Outlines for a Quantitative Thesis Prospectus
Title Page
Introduction
Purpose statement
Rationale for the Study/Significance of the Study
Review of Literature
Summary and synthesis of relevant literature
Description and review of each Independent and Dependent Variable
Hypotheses/Research Questions
Method
Participants (Describe the population and a sampling method)
Procedures (Details of the Research Design)
Measurement (Operationalization for each variable, including reliability and validity of the
measurements)
Data Analysis (Describe the statistics to be used to test each hypothesis)
Conclusion (Short paragraph to summarize the entire proposal)
References
Appendices (Attach all your measurements.)
For a Quantitative Research Thesis Prospectus include the following:
Title Page
Introduction
Capture the Goal /Purpose of the Research – Include a clear purpose statement
Include a rationale for why your topic is important
Consider a statement that explains why a particular setting is important and
interesting
Situate the study in the literature – demonstrate your familiarity with similar
studies or position your study in opposition to what you have previously studied
Literature Review
The literature review is the framework and foundation of your study
Include a Problem Statement near the beginning of your literature review. The
problem statement identifies your primary research objectives and a rationale (the
“what” and the “why”).
Develop a brief history of the research which should include articles that support or
contradict your position
Include the latest research on your topic
Assess previous work done on your topic and work to analyze, synthesize, and
critique. Make the case for why should your topic should be studied further or
again. Work to connect and relate the studies together.
Include the theory/theories providing a foundation for the study. Remember, that
quantitative research uses a deductive model.
Include the major and most recent works on your topic. Be on the lookout for
authors or articles that are cited over and over, look for citations used in textbooks,
and include classic primary sources.
Select a clear organizational pattern for your review. Will you use a chronological
order, move from general to specific, contrast-comparison, or topical order?
The literature review should lead directly into your Research Questions or
Hypotheses. In quantitative research the RQs and Hypotheses appear in two
different ways. They either are posed at different points in the literature review
(flowing from the literature review) or they conclude the section.
Method
Participants
Describe who your participants will be
Describe your sampling procedures/techniques. How large will your sample be?
How will you ensure confidentiality and anonymity?
Procedures for Data Collection
Describe in detail how you will collect data. This could include stimuli to create an
experimental condition, use of confederates, video or audio-taping, survey
administration (paper or online), etc. Most beginning students prefer to start with
survey research methodologies.
Describing the Variables
Describe how the variables in your study (stated in the hypotheses or RQs) are
operationalized. How did you create and measure the variable? If using an existing
questionnaire, provide a description of the scales including the number of items, an
example of some of the items, type of response scale (i.e. Likert-type scale), and a
citation where readers can locate the scale. Information should be provided about
the questionnaire’s reliability and validity.
If you constructed your own scale, describe how you went about doing this, was the
survey pilot tested? Provide detail on the steps taken to address issues of reliability
and validity. If data will be collected through content or interaction analysis,
provide a description of the category scheme and how coders were training and
how intercoder reliability was assessed.
Describe the level of measurement for the data collected (nominal, ordinal, interval,
or ratio).
Identify the independent (predictor) and dependent (criterion) variables.
Data Analysis
Describe the statistical tests you will use to analyze the data and answer your
Hypotheses and/or RQs. What will the tests you select provide you? Will they be
used to compare differences between groups or predict the effect of one variable on
another?
References
Appendices
Include your communication with participants such as an invitation to Participate
(email or letter), consent form, and Interview Guide in separate appendices
*Adapted from Keyton (2011)
Keyton, J. (2011). Communication research: Asking questions, finding answers (3rd ed.). New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill.