In the first week, we were introduced to the overall structure and schedule for developing our Thesis Proposal. The session helped me understand the purpose of a research proposal and the main components that need to be included.
A thesis proposal presents a clear plan for the research that I intend to complete. It should explain what topic I want to investigate, why the research is important, and how it connects to my academic subject and practical work. Before selecting a topic, I need to consider whether the subject is interesting enough to motivate further research, whether it can contribute to existing knowledge, and whether it is achievable within the requirements of the assignment.
We also learned that defining a focused research question is one of the most important stages of the proposal. The question establishes the direction and boundaries of the thesis. A broad topic should therefore be divided into a main research question and several smaller sub-questions, which can then guide the research and the structure of each chapter.
The main sections of the proposal include a research title or question, keywords, a draft introduction, a literature review, an outline of research methods, a general chapter structure, a draft chapter, a reference list and an indicative bibliography. The introduction should provide the background of the topic, identify the issue being investigated and explain why the research is necessary. The literature review should not simply list sources, but should compare and critically discuss how books, journal articles and other academic materials relate to the research question.
The methodology section should explain the research approaches and methods that will be used to produce findings. Depending on the topic, these methods may include case studies, visual analysis, film or animation analysis, surveys, interviews or practice-based experiments. It is also necessary to explain why each method is suitable for the research.
This session gave me a clearer understanding of how the proposal will support the development of the final thesis. My next step is to identify a research area related to my interests in animation, games or visual storytelling, and gradually refine it into a specific and manageable research question.