Writing A Proposal

Contents
1000 words Proposal
Title
Introduction/Background - literature
Statement of the Problem What is the issue? Why are
you doing it?
Hypothesis/Research Questions
Methodology how will you be going about it? Tools?
sample?

Writing A Proposal

Purpose Specific Advice

Understand that the proposal will be a negotiated document,

so be prepared to draft, redraft, and resubmit it.

Think of the proposal as an introduction to your thesisnot a

chapter, not an extensive literature review, not an opportunity to

rehearse the major conflicts in your field. You are bridging the
gap between existing work and your work.

Writing A Proposal

Purpose Specific Advice

Remember that your proposal is not meant to limit your ideas,

but to help you think in practical terms about how you intend to
research and write your dissertation.
Consult with your advisor, ask to see past successful

proposals, and talk to your colleagues.

Remember that the proposal is not a contract that determines

what your thesis will demonstrate. You will likely modify and
refine your scope, argument, and methods.
Writing A Proposal

General Advice
Establish a writing schedule, preferably writing at the same time
and place each day.
Get to know yourself which time of the day do you feel more
energized or clear headed to write.
You have a few months to conclude your study start early.
Begin by free-writing. Remember that no one but you has to see
the initial draft.

Writing A Proposal

General Advice
Keep a small notebook with you throughout the day to write
down relevant thoughts.
Start with more clear cut sections first, rather than with the
Introduction, since it may be the most difficult part to write.
Build a respectful bond with your tutor.
He/she is not a proof reader
Do not expect him/her to be at your back and call.

Start keeping references.

Writing A Proposal

Title
At this early stage, you need only provide a working title.
Nevertheless, even at the start, aim to create a title that
conveys the idea of your investigation.
A good title should:
Orient your readers to the topic you will research.
Indicate the type of study you will conduct.

Writing A Proposal

Introduction/Background
A good introduction should:
Establish the general territory (real world or research) in which

the research is placed.

Describe the broad foundations of your study, including some
references to existing literature and/or empirically observable
situations.
Indicate the general scope of your project, but do not go into so
much detail that later sections (purpose/literature review) become
irrelevant.
Engage the readers.
Writing A Proposal

Statement of the Problem

You need to clearly identify the problem or knowledge gap that your
project is responding to.
State the problem clearly early in a paragraph.
Answer the question: What is the gap that needs to be filled?
and/or What is the problem that needs to be solved?
You may want to consider framing your problem statement as a
question, since you are really seeking to answer a question (or a set of
questions) in your study.

Writing A Proposal

Hypothesis/Research Questions

Spend significant time brainstorming before and while you draft

this section.
Specify for your readersand for yourselfthe precise focus of

your research and identify key concepts you will be studying.

Describe the research questions and/or hypotheses of the study.
Once you begin your dissertation research, you may find that your

aims change in emphasis or in number.

Writing A Proposal

Review of Literature

At this point you are not likely to have read everything related
to your research questions, but you should still be able to
identify the key texts with which you will be in conversation as
you write your dissertation

Writing A Proposal

Review of Literature

Writing the literature review allows you to understand:

How other scholars have written about your topic (in addition to

what they have written).

The range of theories scholars use to analyze their primary

materials or data
How other scholars connect their specific research topics to

larger issues, questions, or practices within the field.

Writing A Proposal

Review of Literature
The literature review has four major functions or rhetorical goals

that you should keep in mind as you write:

1. It situates the current study within a wider disciplinary

conversation.
2. It illustrates the uniqueness, importance of and need for your
particular project by explaining how your research questions and
approach are different from those of other scholars.
3. It justifies methodological choices.
4. It demonstrates your familiarity with the topic and appropriate
approaches to studying it.
Writing A Proposal

Methodology
This section includes a description of the general means through which
the goals of the study will be achieved: methods, materials,
procedures, tasks, etc
Introduce the overall methodological approach. Is your study
qualitative or quantitative? Are you going to take a special approach,
such as action research, or use case studies?
Indicate how the approach fits the overall research design. Your
methods should have a clear connection with your research questions
and/or hypotheses. In other words, make sure that your methods will
actually answer your questions.
Writing A Proposal

Methodology
Describe the specific methods of data collection you are
going to usee.g. surveys, interviews, questionnaires,
observation, archival or traditional library research.
Explain how you intend to analyze and interpret your
results. Will you use statistical analysis? Will you use specific
theoretical perspectives to help you analyze a text or explain
observed behaviors

Writing A Proposal

Structure/Outline of thesis
Your proposal should also include a brief outline of how your
dissertation will be structured. Most dissertations have 5
chapters:
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 Literature review
Chapter 3 Methodology
Chapter 4 Analysis and Findings
Chapter 5 - Conclusion
Writing A Proposal

Summary
Finish your proposal with a short summary of what you intend
to do in your dissertation
Your proposal will also include any references which you have
used in the proposal .
The proposal should be roughly 1,500 words.

Writing A Proposal

A word of advice.
Choose a subject you love!
Do not leave everything till the last minute!
Enter into a routine.it will be easier to produce work!
Keep updated on the subject!
Dont panic you will actually finish at one point
Find someone who supports you
Writing A Proposal

Suggested Insurance topics for Thesis

Managing Risks when Underwriting Data Protection
Medical Malpractice An Insurance Opportunity
Defamation, Press liability and insurance
Maltese consumers of Insurance? A study of how consumers behave

when offered extended warranty insurance?

Are promotional items effective in the selling of insurance? A study of
determinants.
A study of the cost of uninsured drivers on Motor Insurance business.
A Study of Social networking liability and Insurance.
Power cuts A Study of the costs for the local insurance industry.
A Study of the effect of climate change on crop insurance.
A study of the impact of Cyber risk on Insurance
A study of Pension schemes in the local scenario
Adverse climate and its impact on property insurers.
A Comparative analysis of life assurance products in the Mediterranean
Writing A Proposal

A Study of the Challenges the insurance industry will face should pensions be privatised
Public v. Private pensions A forward looking study
The impact on health insurance premium should the in-patient hospital cash benefit be abolished

from health insurance policies

A study of the pros and cons of liberalising the insurance market in the local Financial Services

Industry
A Risk assessment of alternate energy on the finances of the local economy
Wind farming opportunity or threat for insures : an underwriting perspective
Fracking : an emergent risk for insurers to consider
Advances in healthcare and their impact on health insurers
Adopting Good faith from the traditional Utmost good faith - Level of preparedness in Malta
A Study of People Risk and its impact on Risk Management
A study of reputational Risk and its impact on Risk Management
A study of failures in risk management. Determining the contributing factors
A study of the risk appetite and tolerance in Malta
IT an opportunity for Risk Managers
IT and opportunity for Insurers
Behavioural Finance an unrecognised opportunity in Risk Management
Sociological Economics an Unrecognised opportunity in Risk Management
Solvency II and the implementing measures. A study of the need
Capital Requirement Directive. A Study of the need
A study of the maturity of Malta in achieving Good Governance

Writing A Proposal

RISK MANAGEMENT AND SHAREHOLDER VALUE: EVIDENCE FOR LISTED

MALTESE BANKS/Insurance Firms

Over the past few decades, the shareholder value approach has been the
management concept that has most significantly shaped todays economies and the
way firms do business. Shareholder value has become the p re-eminent performance
indicator for companies worldwide. Indeed the shareholder value approach has
affected the way banks operate, and creating sustainable shareholder value has been
the prime objective of European banks in recent years.
The overall research question objective is to answer the following 2 research
objectives:
How should economic value creation for shareholders be measured in banking? In
other words which valuation methods apply to banks and which do not?
Does the banking sector have any special features that need to be taken into
consideration when measuring this or in other words In which cases do the
standard valuation methods have to be adjusted and how?
The dissertation should address these questions by summarising the bank-specific
literature on valuation and value-based management in banking, and then examine
the applicability of these methods in the case of banks listed on the Malta Stock
Exchange.
Writing A Proposal

ESTIMATING THE COST OF CAPITAL IMPLIED BY

ACCOUNTING DATA FOR INSURANCE ORGANISATIONS IN

MALTA
The study will focus on estimating the expected rate of return
implied by market prices, summary accounting numbers and
forecasts of earnings and dividends for a sample of insurance
organisations in Malta broken down by major type and covering
firms listed on the MSE and those which are not, The sample is
to include all major categories of business dealing in insurance
on the island.
Expected rate of return is a used as a proxy for the cost of
capital. The dissertations research question is to answer the 2
following research objectives:
Which are the main accounting-based valuation models and
how are these models used to obtain estimates for the cost of
capital?
How applicable and feasible are these models to estimate cost
of capital for insurance organisations and firms?
Writing A Proposal

 OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE AND FIRM PERFORMANCE : AN EMPIRICAL STUDY BASED

ON LISTED BANKS ON THE MALTA STOCK EXCHANGE

This dissertation study explores the role of ownership structure as an important mechanism of
corporate governance on listed banking firms on the Malta Stock Exchange. This study aims to
determine the role of the variables of ownership structure on firm performance, utilising only
2 aspects of ownership structure: a) ownership concentration and b) ownership identity.
Agency theory tells us that ownership structure if concentrated should mitigate the agency
problem (Lee, 2008); based on the traditional agency theory this dissertation study predicts
that ownership concentration positively affects firm performance:
Hence the studys Research Question thus has 2 sets of research hypotheses are :
Question 1
H1: Concentrated ownership has significant positive effect on banking firm performance;
HO : Concentrated ownership does not have significant positive effect on banking firm
performance.
Question 2
H2: Institutional Ownership has significant positive effect on banking firm performance;
HO : Institutional Ownership does not have significant positive effect on banking firm
performance.
The study should use panel data regression analysis over a suitably chosen time series.

Writing A Proposal

Ethical Clearance needed

Dealing with Human Subject Organisation or

person
Vulnerable persons
Self Assessment Form- FREC
UREC Form

Writing A Proposal

Thank you and Good Luck

Writing A Proposal