Guides: SOT 5010: Applied Research for Technology: Getting Started with Research

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What is a prospectus?

A prospectus is simply a preliminary statement about the paper you are going to write. In graduate education, it is normally very detailed and expected to follow a specific format. The prospectus is preliminary to actually conducting the research and discussing your results. A prospectus is often considered the first step in writing a graduate thesis or dissertation. This approach is utilized to ensure that you have an understanding of your question, what you want to accomplish, and the resources you will utilize during the process.

The prospectus normally includes three chapters. Refer to your syllabus for the required elements of each chapter.

Introduction
Review of the literature
Methodology you will use to conduct the research

The purpose of a prospectus is for the researcher:

to think through the proposed research
to organize ideas about the topic
to articulate ideas in a formal and coherent fashion

Simply put, a prospectus is a road map for you to follow.

UCM Thesis Manual

UCM Thesis Manual
This link takes you to the document that illustrates the format required for a thesis completed at the University of Central Missouri. The Thesis Manual will open in a new window.

Make certain to review the pages on formatting your preliminary pages (pages 14-16). And the examples of properly formatted pages beginning on page 17.