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Successful thesis proposals in Successful

thesis
architecture and urban planning proposals in
architecture
Mahmoud Abdellatif
College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University,
Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and
Reham Abdellatif Received 24 December 2019
Department of Interior Design, College of Design, Revised 22 March 2020
11 May 2020
Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia Accepted 25 May 2020

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this research is to improve the understanding of what constitutes a successful thesis
proposal (TP) and as such enhance the quality of the TP writing in architecture, planning and related
disciplines.
Design/methodology/approach – Based on extended personal experience and a review of relevant
literature, the authors proposed a conception of a successful TP comprising 13 standard components. The
conception provides specific definition/s, attributes and success rules for each component. The conception was
applied for 15 years on several batches of Saudi graduate students. The implications of the conception were
assessed by a students’ opinion survey. An expert inquiry of experienced academics from architectural schools
in nine countries was applied to validate and improve the conception.
Findings – Assessment of the proposed conception demonstrated several positive implications on students’
knowledge, performance and outputs which illustrates its applicability in real life. Experts’ validation of the
conception and constructive remarks have enabled further improvements on the definitions, attributes and
success rules of the TP components.
Research limitations/implications – The proposed TP conception with its 13 components is limited to
standard problem-solving research and will differ in the case of other types such as hypothesis-based research.
Practical implications – The proposed conception is a useful directive and evaluative tool for writing and
assessing thesis proposals for graduate students, academic advisors and examiners.
Social implications – The research contributes to improving the quality of thesis production process among
the academic community in the built environment fields.
Originality/value – The paper is meant to alleviate the confusion and hardship caused by the absence of a
consensus on what constitutes a successful TP in the fields of architecture, urban planning and related
disciplines.
Keywords Urban planning, Architecture, Built environment, Postgraduate research, Writing successful
thesis proposals
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
After the postgraduate student completes her/his coursework in a master programme or
passes the comprehensive exam and becomes a doctoral candidate in a doctoral programme,

© Mahmoud Abdellatif and Reham Abdellatif. Published in Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of

Architectural Research. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and
create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full
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creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode.
The authors acknowledge the sincere assistance provided by the team of experts from several
Archnet-IJAR: International
Architectural Schools worldwide to verify and improve the TP Conception. Appreciation is also Journal of Architectural Research
extended to the post graduate students of the College of Architecture and Planning, IAU, who have Emerald Publishing Limited
2631-6862
positively responded to the students’ opinion survey. DOI 10.1108/ARCH-12-2019-0281
ARCH s/he is allowed to submit a “Thesis Proposal” (TP) to her/his department whose main concern
is to assess whether the topic is suitable for a graduate study and for the time and resources
available (Afful, 2008; Kivunja, 2016; Reddy, 2019).
The department then sends the submitted TP to higher bodies for official approval. Once
approved, the TP becomes a legal binding or “a formal contract” (Walliman, 2017) and “a statement
of intent” (Hofstee, 2006) between the researcher and the university. If the student adheres to all
prescribed TP requirements within the specified time, s/he will be awarded the degree (Leo, 2019).
Guided by his/her academic advisor, the student prepares the TP within which the
researcher explains the research problem, questions, aim and objectives, scope, and
methodologies to describe, analyse and synthesize the research problem and develop
solutions for it (Paltridge and Starfield, 2007). In addition, the proposal includes a brief about
research significance and expected contributions; a preliminary review of literature; thesis
structure and approximate completion timeline; and a list of relevant references (Kivunja,
2016; Thomas, 2016; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019).

1.1 Statement of the problem and research aim

After decades of writing, supervising and refereeing master and doctoral theses in the fields
of Architecture and Urban Planning, the authors noticed that TP’s differ in format and
content from a school to another. This may be considered a healthy matter because it gives
room for flexibility that absorbs the variety of research problems and techniques. Yet, the
absence of a consensus on what constitutes a successful TP could cause confusion and
hardship to both students and advisors (Kamler and Thomson, 2008; Abdulai and Owusu-
Ansah, 2014). The review of literature indicates that TP writing has been tackled in depth in
many fields (see for instance Gonzalez, 2007; Balakumar et al., 2013; Eco, 2015; Kivunja, 2016;
Glatthorn and Randy, 2018; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019). Apart from thesis proposal
instruction and guideline manuals posted on universities’ websites, the authors believe that
there is a lack of in-depth research on the issue of producing successful thesis proposals in the
fields of Architecture and Planning.
Therefore, the aim of this paper is to improve the understanding of what constitutes a
successful thesis proposal and as such enhance the quality of the TP writing in architecture
and planning and related disciplines. To achieve such an aim, the paper has the following
procedural objectives:
(1) To propose a successful TP conception which determines the standard components of
TP and sets specific definitions, attributes and rules of success for each component.
(2) To apply the proposed conception on several batches of graduate students, then
assess its impact on students’ performance and output along the years of application.
(3) To validate the proposed conception by getting the insights of experienced academics
from architecture and planning schools worldwide, and as such, improve and finalize
the conception.

1.2 Research methodology

Figure 1 summarizes the process pursued to develop the “Successful TP Conception”. From
2000 to 2005, the conception was proposed and included in an unpublished textbook
(Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005). From 2005 to 2020, the conception has been applied on
several batches of graduate students in the College of Architecture and Planning, Imam
Abdulrahman bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In
February 2020, the impacts of the conception on students’ performances and outputs were
 Successful
thesis
proposals in
architecture

Figure 1.
The stages of
developing the
successful thesis
proposal conception

assessed by students’ survey. From November 2019 through March 2020, the conception was
validated by an experts’ inquiry of worldwide academics; then it was improved and finalized.
(1) To propose the Successful TP Conception, the authors relied on two sources: knowledge
extracted from their extended experience and a review of relevant studies and
instruction manuals and guidelines for preparing TP in several worldwide universities.
The Conception has been applied on several batches of master and doctoral students
from IAU, KSA for almost 15 years between 2005 and 2020 during their enrolment in
three courses in the College of Architecture and Planning, IAU, KSA. These courses are
“ARPL 603 Research Methods” and “BISC 600 Research Methods” for the master’s level
and “URPL 803 Seminar (3): Doctoral Research Methods” for the doctoral level.
(2) To assess the implications of the Successful TP Conception on students’ performance and
outputs, the authors designed an online questionnaire (Students_Survey, 2020) and
distributed it to a sample of 60 graduate students who studied and applied the conception:
 From a total of 60 students, 39 students (65%) completed the survey; of whom 12
students (31%) were doctoral and 27 students (69%) were masters students.
 The survey used a five-point Likert scale to assess the impact of applying the
rules of Successful TP Conception taught to students on their performances and
outputs; that is, how the conception helped the students:
- Improve their understanding of the components of a successful TP.
- Enhance their performance in developing their TP’s.
- Conduct a more effective self-assessment of their developed TP’s.
ARCH - Enhance their performance along other stages of producing their theses and
dissertations.
- Maintain any other benefits adding to students’ research capabilities.
(3) To validate and improve the conception, the authors used an expert inquiry to get the
insights of a selected sample of academics experienced in supervising master and
doctoral theses in worldwide architecture and planning schools. The authors
designed an online survey (Experts_Survey, 2019) and sent it to 80 experts; of whom
35 experts (43.75%) responded. The survey included two parts:
 The first part recorded the general characteristics of respondents.
 The second inquired about experts’ viewpoints on the definitions, attributes and
the rules of success of the components of the proposed TP conception.

2. Proposing the Successful TP Conception

2.1 Components of a TP for a standard problem-solving research type
A review of thesis writing guidelines posted on universities’ websites and other related
literature has indicated that the number of components of a masters’ or doctoral thesis
proposal varies. After a thorough review of related literature and with their experience, the
authors have been convinced that, in its standard form, a TP should include 13 components.
Chronically arranged, as appearing in the proposal, they are: title page, abstract, keywords,
background, statement of the problem, research questions, research aim and objectives,
research scope, research significance and contributions, preliminary review of literature,
research methodology, thesis structure and timeline, and references list (Ostler, 1996;
Simpson and Turner, 2004; Zhou, 2004; Davies, 2011; Axelrod and Windell, 2012; Donohue,
2018; Glatthorn and Randy, 2018; Kornuta and Germaine, 2019). It is worth mentioning that
these 13 components will differ in the case of a hypothesis-based research whose aim is to
validate a specific hypothesis that a specific variable/s is/are or is/are not the main cause/s of
an investigated research problem. This paper is limited only to the standard problem-solving
research type.

2.2 Building the Successful TP Conception

To propose the Successful TP Conception, the authors applied three steps on each of the 13
components:
(1) Setting a general definition for each component including its meaning, importance,
functions and contents.
(2) Outlining the most important attributes that must be considered when writing the
component.
(3) Based on step 1 and 2, the authors extracted a list of success rules which provides a
concise definition for each component of the TP, and/or describes the relationship
between the component and other components of the TP (the list is summarized at the
end of Part 2).
2.2.1 Research title. This is the first item that appears to the reader. It invites or detains him/her
from proceeding to other contents (Blaxter et al., 2010). The research title is positioned in the title
page along with several basic data, namely, the title; the names of the Department, College,
University, study programme, researcher and advisory committee; and submission date.
The research title should be useful, discussing an issue critical to society; true, conveying a
real message about the investigated problem (Donohue, 2018); concise, presenting the
message with the minimum number of words; adequate, using the right wording to explain Successful
the intended meaning; and attractive, stimulating the reader’s attention. Iterations in refining thesis
the research title go hand-in-hand with refining the research question (Groat and
Wang, 2013).
proposals in
2.2.2 The abstract. It is the first item that appears in the TP after the title and of the same architecture
significance; yet, it is the last to be written (Kornuta and Germaine, 2019). It has a marketing
function (Lamanauskas, 2019); it calls the reader in or alienates him out. A comprehensive
abstract contains a summary of the problem, aim, scope, methodology, importance,
contributions and outline (Koopman, 1997).
The Abstract should be concise or brief with a maximum of 200–300 words; adequate, including
profiles of all parts of the proposal; clear, expressing its message without ambiguity; and
interrelated, serving as a body of sequential, coherent and connected ideas (Blaxter et al., 2010).
2.2.3 The keywords. These are a set of words or terms used for archiving, tabulation and
electronic search on databases. They should include essential “subject terms” describing the
research topic, the unique sub-specializations and focus of the research (what is researched), the
contextual scope of the research (where and when), and the used research methodology (how to
conduct the research) (Lamanauskas, 2019). They are better written by splitting the title into its
separate single words or terms which must be found in the abstract, as well (Mack, 2012).
Keywords should be brief, not more than 8–12 words; adequate, conveying the research
theme, scope, aim and approach; exact, focusing on the investigated topic and scope; and
standard, using scientific terminology used in the field.
2.2.4 The background. This is a gradual preparation of the reader from the larger scientific
field to the specific field, from the wider geographic area to the immediate area, and from the
larger timeframe to the immediate one. It starts from the strategic level and general scope of
the research and gradually reaches the level closer to the examined problem (Abdellatif and
Abdellatif, 2005). It places the study within the larger context of the research, creates interest
to the reader and catches his attention, and includes quotations and statistics leading the
reader to proceed (Babbie, 2014).
The background statement should be striking, drawing the reader’s attention to the
research; brief, not lengthy; gradual, moving from the general level surrounding the
investigated issue to the specific level; and careful, not speeding up in disclosing the study
problem, aim or methodology to the reader (Axelrod and Windell, 2012; Pautasso, 2013).
2.2.5 The statement of the problem. This is a statement presented in two forms: an overall/
general form and a specific/articulated form (sub-problems).
(1) Statement of the General Research Problem is a narrative describing a negative aspect/s
prevailing in the investigated urban environment/ecosystem or architectural setting; it
is equivalent to the negative wording of the research aim (Abdellatif and Abdellatif,
2005). It stimulates interest in the study; scientifically explained to convey a simple,
clear and specific issue to which a reader can relate and is useful to the society at large
(Balakumar et al., 2013). In the humanities and social sciences many dissertations
endeavour to establish the conditions of the problem, not to solve it (Dorst, 2011).
In formulating the research problem, it is useful to consider it a problem which hinders the natural
development of the society and/or environment and leads to a decline in the Quality of Life (QOL)
or Quality of Environment (QOE) or both. A development problem is a factor/cause leading to
either a quantitative or qualitative deficiency in satisfying a human need or both such as a lack of
certain service or inadequate provision of the service (Abdellatif, 2015). To arrive at a successful
statement of the general problem, the researcher should pinpoint the main cause/s behind the
study problem. All what comes next depends on the clarity of the problem statement.
ARCH Research problems in architecture and related disciplines may be classified under
different frames of references (Salama, 2019):
 Technically oriented research (TOR), which places emphasis on the process and
procedures as the primary basis of effective design, TOR can be either systematic, or
computational, or managerial.
 Conceptually driven research (CDR), which can be either psychological or person–
environment. The psychological type is driven by the goal of matching knowledge
with the nature of the design problem, its components, context and social and
environmental requirements. Whereas, the person–environment type places emphasis
on the socio-cultural and socio-behavioural factors as they relate to the design process
itself and to settings, buildings and urban environments.
The general problem of the study should be brief, comprised from one to two sentences; clear,
using straightforward words with simple meaning that cannot be confused; specific, focusing
on the main cause of the study problem (Kornuta and Germaine, 2019); and outlining,
highlighting the general problem without elaborating on sub-problems.
(2) Statement of the research sub-problems is a narrative that describes the general
problem in detail; sub-problems are simply the various causes of the general problem
(Goetz et al., 2005). Identifying sub-problems will ensure focusing during the
investigation on important factors causing the general problem. It is useful when
tracing sub-problems to apply the following steps (Abdellatif, 2015):
 Classify the investigated situation to branched dimensions, e.g. demographic,
planning, regulatory, economic, social, environmental, etc.
 Trace the causes or the influencing factors that lead to the emergence or
aggravation of the problem/s in each dimension.
 Clarify the problem more by identifying the consequences or adverse effects (the
symptoms of the problem) that resulted from those causes. This helps isolate the causes
from the consequences to focus on treating the causes not the consequences. Using
temporary painkillers will not eliminate the disease; it only tranquilizes the symptoms.
The research sub-problems should be focused, where each sub-problem concentrates on one
independent side of the general problem; articulate, non-compositing and non-overlapping
with other sub-problems; rooted, relating to one of the roots of the general problem; deep,
addressing the cause not the symptom of the problem; and comprehended, easy to perceive,
determine and describe (Groat and Wang, 2013).
(3) Statement of the consequences of the problem is a narrative that describes the negative
effects caused by sub-problems on the investigated environment (Goetz et al., 2005).
The statement of consequences of the problem should be focused, where each consequence
focuses on one independent sub-problem; articulate, not overlapping with other
consequences; rooted, relating to one of the roots of the general problems; deep, providing
description for specific symptom; and comprehended, could be perceived, described and
determined (Abdellatif, 2015).
2.2.6 Research questions. These are a set of questions the research tries to answer. Each
question usually covers one of the research sub-problems. Questioning is an alternative way
to present research problem/s but in a question format. As indicated by Grix (2001) and Groat
and Wang (2013), research questions simplify the problem and provide insight for
articulating the aim and objectives and setting the proper methods to achieve them. Research
questions should “contain within themselves the means for assessing their achievement” Successful
(Blaxter et al., 2010). If the environment under investigation suffers from a specific thesis
development problem/s, the following are typical examples of questions raised (Abdellatif
and Abdellatif, 2005):
proposals in
architecture
(1) What is the nature of the development problem as defined by the latest findings of
previous literature, similar studies and published statistical reports?
(2) What are the key features of the investigated problem according to a direct field
survey?
(3) What are the appropriate links between different variables of the study (causes,
consequences, etc.) according to the information gathered from the theoretical review
and field surveys?
(4) What are the extracted results and the appropriate solutions and/or
recommendations to deal with the general research problem and its sub-problems?
(5) What are the critical contributions of the research findings on the life and/or
environmental qualities?
(6) How can the research increase the benefits of research results on the ground?
(7) What are the research areas/points that need further investigation?
Research questions should be specific, each question addresses one sub-problem;
unduplicated, each question does not repeat itself in a different format; sequential, or
arranged according to their importance and order; and interrelated, where each question
relates to other questions.
2.2.7 Research aim, goals and objectives. It is advisable to define the general aim of the
study first then define two kinds of objectives: procedural and developmental objectives.
(1) The general aim of the research is a specific and clear statement presenting the overall
purpose of the study. It is directed to find an appropriate and effective solution to the
general research problem (Donohue, 2018). It is an attempt to fill a gap between a
negative reality of an environment/ecosystem/or development situation and a desired
positive future to be achieved at the end of the research process (Glatthorn and Randy,
2018). The aim should be properly stated to ensure the success of all the following
stages of the scientific research process.
The general aim of the research should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and
Timely (SMART) (Doran, 1981): specific, by focusing on a branch or root of a complicated
development problem; measurable, by using standard units to enable measuring the
achievement of goals; achievable, by being real not elusive or difficult to investigate
considering available resources which include the time allowed for the degree and the
funding available to gather information, to conduct the planned experiments and
measurements, to finalize the necessary research analysis and to develop appropriate
solutions; the scientific expertise of the researcher in the subject of research; the level of
academic support from the academic advisor; access to references, and office and field
resources needed to collect information on the problem; realistic, dealing with a real problem
happening in the environment surrounding the researcher; and timely, directed towards an
urgent problem with high societal priority not outdated and studied many times before.
(2) The procedural objectives are the sub-goals emanating from the main aim of the study.
They provide a roadmap and illustrate important stages leading to sequential targets
towards achieving the general aim. They are articulated sub-goals that in their totality
ARCH compose the main research aim (Abdulai and Owusu-Ansah, 2014). Procedural
objectives of a typical research include conducting the following tasks (Abdellatif and
Abdellatif, 2005):
 Exploring the problem by defining the research problem, formulating aim and
objectives, designing the methodology, defining the scope, and highlighting the
expected contributions.
 Collecting secondary data by defining basic concepts and terms, reviewing relevant
literature and previous studies, and describing the most important characteristics
of the investigated environment from secondary sources and statistical reports.
 Collecting primary data via direct field surveys and based on the views of
concerned population, experts and officials to describe the characteristics of the
investigated development problem.
 Analysing the gathered data by using theoretical and field data to determine the
appropriate links among different variables of the study (e.g. causes,
consequences, etc.).
 Synthesizing the gathered data by integrating the findings of analysis to build
appropriate approaches or solutions to deal with the general problem.
 Extracting conclusions and writing recommendations to highlight research
findings and make them more useful and effective.
Procedural objectives, in addition to being SMART, they should be focused, where each
objective focuses on a phase of achieving the overall goal; non-overlapping, where every
objective does not exceed a defined limit; and sequential, chronologically arranged as
specified in the timeline.
(3) The development objectives are objectives which focus on solving the research sub-
problems leading to solving the main research problem. They should describe
quantitative and/or qualitative improvements in the physical and/or human
environment rather than stating the steps of a study (Donohue, 2018). Well-defined
development objectives help focus on solving the studied problems only. They deal
with development problem/s on the micro level but will contribute to the macro level,
as well (Abdellatif, 2015):
 A micro level objective contributes to solving the specific investigated problem
(e.g. a specific quantitative or qualitative problem that hinders the development of
a sector of society, environment, or eco-system).
 A macro level objective contributes to realizing a higher goal (e.g. improving the
overall quality of life of a larger community, upgrading the quality of the larger
environment, etc.).
Development objectives should apply the SMART goal rule (previously explained); and be
non-overlapping by ensuring that each objective is focused and not conflicting with other
objectives.
2.2.8 Research scope. This is a statement which defines the thematic, geographic/spatial
and temporal limits of research. By narrowing these three scopes, the research process
becomes more effective, efficient and doable (Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005):
 (1) Thematic scope clarifies the general and specific areas of the research (e.g. the Successful
research falls within the field of sustainable development in general and focuses on thesis
social sustainability).
proposals in
(2) Geographic/Spatial scope specifies the spatial boundaries of the physical environment architecture
within which the research is applied (e.g. a specific local or regional setting).
(3) Temporal scope shows the past, present and future spans the research will cover
indicating the number of years from the historical information inventory until the
expected completion date. If the research aim is to develop future strategies or
policies, the span will extend to future target point.
Research Scope should be categorized, by being classified by subject, place and time; focused,
by reaching the closest limits of the investigated research problem, environment and time;
and clear, by not being so general or ambiguous.
2.2.9 Research significance and contributions. They highlight the most important
benefits and the main beneficiaries from solving the research problem; the potential
positive impacts of the study on the life and environmental qualities (Groat and Wang,
2013). Contributions differ in nature (theoretical or applied or both) and in size (huge,
average, or marginal). There is a positive relationship between the size of contributions
and the size of impacted beneficiaries (individuals, groups, institutions, communities,
societies), the scale of the impacted geographic boundaries (local, national or global), the
type of impacted development sectors (service, production, etc.) and the numbers of the
impacted sectors (one, a few, or all sectors). Research significance increases as the size of
contributions increases. Specifying the research significance, expected contributions and
potential beneficiaries helps promote the research and provides rational justifications for
conducting it. The higher the contributions and the greater the sectors of the beneficiaries,
the more significant the research is (Abdellatif and Abdellatif, 2005). According to
Balakumar et al. (2013) research significance justifies the need for the research that is
being proposed.
Research significance and expected contributions should be categorized, in terms of type
(theoretical or applied contribution or both), size and nature of the beneficiaries (individuals,
institutions, communities, etc.) and geographical extent (small site, district, city, region,
nation, etc.); clear, simple and comprehensible to the reader; and realistic, real, accurate and
not exaggerated.
2.2.10 The preliminary review of literature. This is an initial review of literature dealt with
relevant problems. It aims to build an initial understanding of the problem, identify the most
important variables that have been considered, cite methodologies used to deal with the
problem; make use of the latest findings and record the various recommendations/solutions
suggested to deal with the problem (Hart, 1998; Grix, 2001). According to Dunleavy (2003), it
is a critical review on related recent research that is well documented, structured, analysed
and synthesized. It offers the researcher an opportunity to engage with other scholars in one’s
disciplinary community.
In addition to having a separate part, it is useful to combine the literature review
with other components of the TP (e.g. the research problem, questions, aim and objectives,
and methodology). It is important that the review presents differing perspectives or
contrasting views of the topic and reports the complexities of the issue (Kornuta and
Germaine, 2019). By conducting the review, the researcher becomes able to build an initial
but comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of the problem, the
methodologies used to study and analyse the problem and the solutions proposed to deal
with it by synthesizing various viewpoints of previous studies, thereby, supporting her/his
ARCH principle argument about the study problem with the results derived from previous
literature (Pautasso, 2013).
The preliminary literature review in the TP is a “pilot review” or a sample of the extensive
literature review to be made later in the actual thesis. It contains three subsidiaries (Abdellatif
and Abdellatif, 2005):
(1) Definitions of key terms and concepts; standard terms to appear in the research and
special concepts which are not formally provided by previous scholars. The
definitions must be logic and derived from scientifically recognized sources.
(2) Review of previous studies; focusing on identifying several issues, namely, the most
important dimensions and variables of the research problem (the causes of the
problem; why the problem has emerged or aggravated; the most important
consequences of this problem on the human and/or physical environment); the
methods used to deal with the problem; the latest findings of previous studies and the
various approaches/solutions suggested to deal with the problem.
(3) Contextual aspects of the investigated development situation; including a review of
relevant characteristics of the researched environment (its basic dimensions and
elements) as found in previous studies. Contextual aspects may be classified into
physical and human components; or into environmental, functional, aesthetic,
structural, economic and social design determinants; or into demographic, planning,
regulatory, economic, social, environmental sectors or other classifications.
Preliminary review of literature should be indexed, from reliable scholarly sources; categorized
or documented according to standard classification system; employed, used wisely to achieve
a desired purpose; up to date, recent, however, in topics which address chronological
development or evolutionary aspects references could be recent and old; and related, relevant
to the study problem (Hart, 1998).
2.2.11 Research methodology. This provides explanation of the appropriate methods to be
used in data collection, analysis, synthesis and presentation; for the extraction of results; and
for the development of appropriate approaches or solutions to deal with the research problem
(Blaxter et al., 2010; Kivunja, 2016). The following methods could be used (Abdellatif and
Abdellatif, 2005):
(1) Data collection methods including office methods used to collect secondary data from
previous literature and case studies as well as field methods used to gather original
data through field visits, surveying, questionnaires, interviews with stakeholders,
etc.
(2) Data analysis methods including methods used to analyse both the secondary and
primary information collected from office and the field surveys such as Statistical
Analysis, Environmental Scanning (SWOT), Development Components Analysis, etc.
(3) Data synthesis methods including methods used to compile, synthesize the analysis
and develop appropriate alternative scenarios or solutions to deal with the problem.
(4) Data presentation methods including methods to present the research process and
findings such as scientific research paper containing narratives, tables, figures,
forms, maps, results and recommendations as well as final visual presentation to
review panel to get remarks and write the last version of the TP.
Research methodology should be appropriate, aligned with the purpose/s in which they will be
used; achievable, within the reach of the researcher; effective, achieving the purpose fast and
with high quality; reliable, previously tested, applied and approved in similar cases; and Successful
precise, accurate and specific. thesis
2.2.12 Research structure and timeline. This is a brief statement of the main sections of the
master’s/doctoral thesis with tentative dates for completing the various stages of the
proposals in
research. Careful preparation of research structure and timeline ensures the effectiveness and architecture
integrity of the plan of actions towards the completion of the study (Kivunja, 2016). It is also a
criterion to judge the achieved progress and seriousness of the researcher.
Research structure and timeline should be sequential, arranged according to a standard
scientific research process; logical, proportionate to the total period available for completion;
and balanced, distributing time properly among various stages.
2.2.13 The list of references. This is a list which contains a reasonable number of relevant
references on the topic which were actually cited in the TP (Kornuta and Germaine, 2019).
Including a list of the references about the topic demonstrates that the researcher is familiar
with the basic and latest knowledge on his/her problem.
The list of references should be relevant, closely related to the investigated subject; up to
date, recent yet containing old and new according the topic and context; and reliable,
published in dependable vessels.

2.3 Extracting the success rules

Based on the above definitions and attributes provided for each of the 13 TP components, the
authors were able to extract a number of success rules that took the form of equations, each of
which describes an equality function between each component and its counterpart
component/s as shown in Table 1. For instance, rule #1 shows that “research title” is
equal to “the general aim of the research” and is equal to “the negative wording of the research
problem”.

3. Assessing the Successful TP Conception from students’ viewpoints

After proposing the Successful TP Conception and applying it on several batches of graduate
students in the College of Architecture and Planning at IAU for a period of 15 years from 2005
to 2019, it becomes necessary to assess the conception to ascertain its positive impacts on
improving the quality of students’ performance and outputs concerning the development of
their TP’s and their overall research capabilities. This part summarizes the results of the
survey of a group of graduate students who studied and applied the TP conception from the
College of Architecture of Planning, IAU, KSA. The survey contains a five-indicator scale
which assesses the impact of applying the success rules of the TP Conception on the students’
performance and output. The results of the survey demonstrated the following positive
impacts:
(1) The students’ understanding of the components of thesis proposals has improved as
follows:
 They better understood the meanings of each component (97% agree and
strongly agree and 3% neutral).
 They better understood the attributes of each component (94% agree and
strongly agree and 6% neutral).
 They better understood the rules which control the relations between the various
components of the TP (87% agree and strongly agree and 13% neutral).
(2) The students’ performance in developing their thesis proposals has improved as
follows:
ARCH # Research proposal component Equals The corresponding component

1 Research title 5 The general aim of the research

5 Solving the main research problem
2 The abstract 5 Profiles of all components of the research proposal
3 Keywords 5 Title in a fragmented manner
5 Words that compose the research title
4 Background 5 Gradual preparation of the reader to enter the study
5 The statement of the problem
5–1 General problem of research 5 The main cause of quantitative or qualitative deficiency in
the investigated environment
5–2 Research sub-problems 5 The secondary causes of each sub-problem of the general
problem
5–3 Research consequences 5 Subsidiary symptoms of the general illness of the
examined environment
6 Research questions 5 Presenting general problem and sub-problems of the
research in the question format
7 Research aims, goals and 5 Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely
objectives goals
7–1 General aim of the research 5 Solving the general problem of the research
7–2 Procedural objectives of the 5 Research stages
research 5 Sections or chapters of the thesis
7–3 Development objectives of the 5 Solving sub-problems of the study
research 5 Finding a cure for the secondary causes of the problem
8 The scope of the research 5 Thematic, geographical and temporal limits of the study
9 Importance of the study and 5 expected positive impacts of research (theoretical,
expected contributions practical or both)
10 Preliminary review of 5 Building a comprehensive conception from previous
literature studies about the causes and consequences of the
problem, the methodologies used to understand and
analyse it, the most important findings and the solutions
developed to deal with it
11 Research methodology 5 Techniques, methods and tools used in each stage of
study
12 Research skeleton and 5 Main chapters of research along the completion timeline
completion timeline 5 Stages of the scientific research process along the
completion timeline
12 List of references 5 Latest local and international references about the
Table 1. research
Proposed list of success 14 Thesis proposal (using future 5 General introduction of the final thesis (Using past tenses)
rules for the TP tenses)
components Source(s): Prepared by the authors based on the above definitions and attributes of the TP components

 The process of writing the proposal has become easier and more convenient
(100% agree and strongly agree).
 The effort, cost and time spent in submitting the proposal have been substantially
saved (87% agree and strongly and 12% neutral).
 The relationship with academic advisor has improved (87% agree and strongly
agree and 12% neutral).
(3) The students have become able to make a more effective self-assessment of the
research proposal before submitting it to their academic advisor:
 The students’ confidence in advancing their own learning abilities has improved
(93% agree and strongly agree and 7% neutral).
  The students’ abilities to address the strengths and weaknesses of their personal Successful
skills have improved (93% agree and strongly agree and 7% neutral). thesis
 The students’ abilities to manage their learning process more independently have proposals in
improved (90% agree and strongly agree, 7% neutral and 3% disagree). architecture
(4) The students’ performance along other stages of producing their theses has
improved:
 The students have created a clearer and better mutual understanding with their
academic advisors (90% agree and strongly agree and 10% neutral).
 The students have reduced their distraction from the original target set out in the
proposal (81% agree and strongly agree, 16% neutral and 3% disagree).
 The students have been able to finish their research on time (78% agree and
strongly agree, 19% neutral and 3% disagree).
(5) The students have gained other benefits that improve their overall research skills,
including:
 They gained better analytical skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10% neutral
and 3% disagree).
 They gained better problem-solving skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10%
neutral and 3% disagree).
 They gained better critical thinking skills (87% agree and strongly agree, 10%
neutral and 3% disagree).

4. Verifying the Successful TP Conception based on experts’ viewpoints

Having proposed, applied and assessed the Successful TP Conception, it becomes important
to validate it using the insights of experienced academics from Architectural and Planning
schools worldwide. This part summarizes the results of the experts’ inquiry survey
conducted in November 2019 to February 2020. It shows the characteristics of experts and
their viewpoints and remarks on the originally proposed definitions, attributes and
success rules.

4.1 Experts’ characteristics

The characteristics of the 39 experts who participated in the inquiry are summarized as
follows:
(1) They were from nine countries, namely, the United States of America, Canada, United
Kingdom, Australia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
(2) About 75% of the experts were males and 25% were females. About 5% were 35–45
years old, 20% were 45–55 years, 55% were 55–65 years and 20% were 65 years and
over.
(3) About 5% were Assistant Professors, 10% Associate Professors and the majority
(85%) were Professors.
(4) The experts had teaching experiences in undergraduate and graduate levels (masters,
doctoral, diploma, postdoctoral and continuing professional development).
ARCH (5) The general specialization of 70% of the experts was Architecture and 30% of
experts were specialized in Urban Planning. They taught in several built environment
fields (Architecture, Interior Design, Building Technology, Urban Design, Landscape
Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning).
(6) The experts had several focus areas, namely, Architecture, History and Theories of
Architecture, Assessment of Designed Environments, Design Methods, Pedagogy,
Architecture and Digital Technologies, Heritage Conservation, Middle East
Architecture and Cities, Construction Project Management, Urban Design, Spatial
Development Planning, Landscape, Built Environment and Behaviour, Urban
Studies, Techniques and Quantitative Methods of Urban Planning, Urban Conflict,
Urban Justice, Community Development, Environmental Management and Planning
and Development Approaches.
(7) About 10% of the experts supervised 5 theses, 5% supervised 6–10 theses, 50%
supervised 11–20 theses and 35% supervised more than 20 theses.

4.2 Experts’ viewpoints and remarks

The contributions of experts have been very constructive; the experts have verified the
proposed definitions, attributes and success rules; their acceptance rates and remarks could
be summarized as follows:
(1) Concerning the proposed definitions of the TP components, the experts expressed
their agreement which ranged between 73 and 96%. Some experts provided
additional remarks to help improve the definitions. Table 2 presents the originally
proposed definitions, the percentages of agreed experts and their additional remarks.
(2) Regarding the attributes of each component of the TP, the original conception
proposed 38 attributes, the experts added 18 attributes resulting in a total of 56
attributes. Table 3 presents a matrix showing the percentages of experts’ agreement
of the originally proposed attributes as well as the added attributes. The lowest
agreement percentage was 59% and the highest was 96%.
(3) Concerning the proposed success rules which were called “equations” in the originally
proposed conception, the experts suggested to change the expression into “rules”;
which is more appropriate for subjective contents than mathematical expression.
Table 4 presents the final 19 success rules for the components/sub-components of a
TP and the percentage of experts’ agreement which ranged between 57 and 95%.

5. Conclusion
Based on their experience in preparing and supervising masters and doctoral theses and after
a thorough review of the literature on preparing thesis proposals, the authors drafted a
conception of a successful thesis proposal comprising specific definitions, attributes and rules
for each of the 13 components of a standard TP. The conception had been applied over a
duration of 15 years (2005–2020) on several batches of master and doctoral students in IAU,
KSA. Through an online survey, the majority of students (78–100%) have indicated that
understanding and applying the conception helped them improve their performances and
outputs during the TP development process and beyond.
The conception was then validated by getting the insights of 39 experienced academics
from worldwide architectural schools. The experts accepted the proposed definitions with
(73–96%) agreement rate. The experts also accepted the proposed attributes with (59–96%)
agreement rate. As for the success rules, the experts’ agreed as well with an acceptance rate
 Component of a % of experts agreement of
Successful
# thesis proposal Proposed definition % Experts additional remarks thesis
proposals in
1 Research title The first item that appears to the 73 It should be reflective of research
reader. It invites the reader to topic, questions, objectives, content architecture
proceed to other contents and approach and convey the aim, the
purpose, the scope and the outcome
2 The abstract The first item that appears in the 79 Although some experts commented
TP after the title and of the same that in several schools an abstract is
significance. It calls the reader in not a compulsory component of TP,
or alienates him out 79% of the experts agreed that the
abstract is needed
3 Keywords A set of words or terms used for 75 Keywords are better written by
archiving, tabulation and splitting the title into its separate
electronic search on databases single words or terms. They should
include essential terms describing the
research topic, the unique sub-
specializations and focus of the
research (what is researched), the
contextual scope of the research
(where and when) and the used
research methodology (how to
conduct the research)
4 Background A gradual preparation from the 74 The background should place the
larger scientific field to the study within the larger context of the
specific field, from wider research, create interest to the reader
geographic area to the immediate and catch his attention, help him
area, and from the strategic level understand why the study is
to the level closer to the examined significant, include limitation and
problem arguments of pervious research, and
include quotations and statistics
leading the reader to go to the next
component of the TP
5 Statement of the
problem
5–1 Statement of the A narrative describing a negative 92 A statement which stimulates interest
general research situation prevailing in the in the study; scientifically explained to
problem investigated urban environment/ convey a simple, clear and specific
ecosystem or architectural issue to which a reader can relate”;
setting “equivalent to the negative wording of
the research aim”; and “in the
humanities and social sciences many
dissertations endeavour to establish
the conditions of the problem, not to
solve it
5–2 Statement of the A narrative that describes the 84 One expert commented that “the
research sub- general problem in detail; sub- above definition is valid and useful in
problems problems are simply the various causal research types only; other
causes of the general problem research types might consider
different approaches”
Table 2.
5–3 Consequences of A narrative that describes the 83 None
Proposed definitions of
the problem effects of sub-problems on the each component of the
investigated environment TP and experts’
agreements and
(continued ) remarks
ARCH Component of a % of experts agreement of
# thesis proposal Proposed definition % Experts additional remarks

6 Research questions A set of questions the research 96 None

tries to answer. Each question
usually covers one of the research
sub-problems
7 Research aim/goal/ The goal should be Specific, 96 None
objectives Measurable, Achievable, Realistic
and Timely
7–1 General aim of the A specific and clear statement 96 None
research presenting the overall purpose of
the study
7–2 Procedural The sub-goals emanating from 79 They are articulated sub-goals that in
objectives of the the main aim of the study. They their totality compose the main
research provide a roadmap and illustrate research aim
important stages leading to
sequential targets towards
achieving the general aim
7–3 Development The objectives which focus on 74 None
objectives of the solving the research sub-
research problems and eventually solving
the main problem of the
investigated situation
8 Research scope A statement which defines the None
thematic, geographical/spatial
and temporal limits of research
9 Research Highlight potential positive 87 Expected contributions can only be
significance and impacts of the study on the life tentative in the early research
contributions and environmental qualities proposal stage, the researcher must
remain open to unexpected findings
upon the finishing stage of his/her
study
10 Preliminary review Builds an initial understanding of 91 Related directly to the stated research
of literature the problem, identify the most questions; identify areas of controversy
important variables considered, in the literature; describe the
cite methodologies used; make use relationship of each work to others;
of the latest findings and record the point the way forward for further
various recommendations/ research; and be organized into
solutions suggested categories or themes
11 Research Contains explanation of the 82 None
methodology appropriate methods to be used in
data collection, analysis,
synthesis and presentation; for
the extraction of results; and for
the development of appropriate
approaches or solutions to deal
with the research problem
12 Research structure A brief statement of the main 95 None
and timeline sections of the master’s/doctoral
thesis arranged on the tentative
dates for completing the various
stages of the research
13 List of references A list which contains a 82 None
reasonable number of relevant
references on the topic
Table 2. Source(s): Prepared by the authors based on the above analysis and the results of expert inquiry
 Experts’ Agreement of Attributes
(%: of Experts Agreed) or (√: additional attribute suggested by Experts)
Component of a Thesis
#
Proposal

Useful
True
Adequate
Scientific
Standard
Clear
Exact
To the point
Real
Realistic
Comprehended
Careful
Concise
Specific
Focused
Simple
Brief
Measurable
Articulate
Interesting
Attractive
Stimulating
Appealing
Striking
Flexible
Musical
Interrelated
Relevant
Gradual
critical
Integrated
Structured
Outlining
Documenting
Contextual
Evidenced
Doable
Achievable
Rooted
Deep
Unduplicated
Sequential
Timely
Non-overlapping
Sequential
Discursive
Responsive
Categorized
Indexed
Employed
Up to Date
Appropriate
Effective
Reliable
Logical
Balanced

1 Research Title 70 83 87 √ √ 93 71 √ √ √
2 The Abstract 71 79 79 √ √ √ 71
3 Keywords 75 61 71 68 √
4 Background 70 70 √ 59 74 √ √ √ √
5 Statement of the Problem
5-1 General Research Problem 96 92 √ 77 81 √ √
5-2 Research Sub-problems 92 92 96 96 92
Consequences of the
5-3 92 83 92 88 88
Problem
6 Research Questions √ √ √ 79 √ 92 √ 92 79
7 Aims/Goals/Objectives 96 96 96 96 88
General Aim of the
7-1 96 96 96 96 88
Research
7-2 Procedural Objectives 91 96 √ 96 96 88 78 87 √ √
7-3 Development Objectives 96 96 96 96 88 79
8 Research Scope 91 91 74
9 significance &Contributions √ 91 91 √ 70
Preliminary Review of
10 95 86 73 73 86
literature
11 Research Methodology 77 82 95 96 96
Research Structure and
12 √ √ √ 95 95 95
Timeline
13 List of References √ 95 86 95

Source(s): Prepared by the authors based on the above analysis and the results of expert inquiry
architecture
Successful
proposals in
thesis

of each component of
Experts’ remarks on

the thesis proposal

Table 3.

the proposed attributes

ARCH % of Success rule
Rule experts Component of a thesis Relationship Its concise definition (and/or) its
# agreed proposal nature (→) relationship to another component/s

1 60% Research title Should reflect The general aim and scope of the
research
The negative wording of the research
problem
2 75% The abstract Should be A concise brief of all necessary
components of the research proposal
3 74% Keywords Should include Terms representing research title, topic,
unique sub-specializations,
methodology and scope
4 74% Research background Should cover A gradual contextual literary analysis
relevant to the study preparing the
reader to enter the study
5 The statement of the
problem
5–1 73% Statement of the Should reflect The main cause of a quantitative and/or
general research qualitative deficiency in the
problem environment under investigation
The negative wording of the research
aim
5–2 80% Research sub- Should describe The subsidiary causes of the main
problems problem
5–3 79% Consequences of the Should describe Subsidiary symptoms of the general
Problem illness of the examined environment
6 79% Research questions Should rephrase The research sub-problems in a question
format
The research objectives in a question
format
7 63% Research aims, goals Should be SMART (specific, measurable,
and objectives achievable, realistic and timely)
7–1 63% General aim of the Should reflect A target responding to the general
research research problem/question
A potential alternative scenario that
may enable the development of
solutions
The research title with the same or
different wording
7–2 57% Procedural objectives Should The sub-goals that compose the main
of the research articulate/ research aim
represent The stages of the research
The sections or chapters of the thesis
7–3 70% Development Should reflect Targeted solutions to the sub-problems
objectives of the of the study
research Targeted possible cures/fixes for the
subsidiary causes of the problem
8 83% Research scope Should cover Thematic, geographic and temporal
limits of the study
9 87% Research significance Should highlight The expected positive theoretical or
and contributions practical impacts of the research or both
10 95% Preliminary review of Should cover A well-documented, structured,
Table 4. literature analysed and synthesized critical review
An extracted list of of relevant research
success rules for thesis
proposals (continued )
 Successful
% of Success rule thesis
Rule experts Component of a thesis Relationship Its concise definition (and/or) its
# agreed proposal nature (→) relationship to another component/s proposals in
architecture
11 82% Research Should explain The methods, techniques and tools used
methodology to accomplish the research objectives in
each stage of the study
12 82% Research structure Should The stages/phases of the research and
and timeline articulate/ their expected completion dates
represent The main chapters of the research
distributed along the completion
timeline
13 77% List of references Should present The references relevant to the research
problem
14 General The thesis proposal Should resemble The general introduction of the final
rule (using future tenses) thesis (using past tenses)
Source(s): Prepared by the authors based on the above analysis and the results of expert inquiry Table 4.

ranging from (57–95%). The experts suggested constructive remarks which were considered
in writing the final version of the conception.
The extracted success rules combine the definitions and attributes of each component of
the TP and present them in a concise statement which defines the component and, where
applicable, exemplifies its relationship to another corresponding or counterpart component of
the TP. For example, rule #1 shows that “research title” should reflect “the general aim and
scope of the research” and should also reflect “the negative wording of the research problem”.
Extracted also is rule #14 which indicates that “the whole thesis proposal” written in future
tenses, should resemble “the introduction of the final thesis” written in past tenses.
The research has reached a conviction that the proposed conception with its success rules
can provide a useful model to follow when preparing thesis proposals. It provides both
researchers and academic advisors with a directive and evaluative tool to apply along the
process of developing proposals of master or doctoral theses:
(1) A directive tool that assists the researcher in writing a sound TP. Combining the last
three tables (2, 3 and 4) into a comprehensive checklist would aid the students in
preparing their TP’s; enhancing the quality of their performance and outputs.
(2) An evaluative tool that helps in assessing the validity and integrity of the submitted
TP’s that can be used by the researcher for self-assessment, or by the academic
advisor, or by an examiner/evaluator before sending the proposal to higher
authorities for approval.
The findings of this paper could be useful not only in evaluating thesis proposals, but also,
with proper modifications, in assessing various scientific research documents, including
scientific thesis, research papers and others; which is another research topic that will be
addressed in the future.

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About the authors

Mahmoud Abdellatif is a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and
Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He received an
MSc from Assuit University, Egypt in 1977 and another MSc from Iowa State University in 1981 and a
PhD degree from Texas A&M University in 1985. He has taught and practiced Architecture and Urban
Planning for more than 45 years in Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. His main research
focus is on research methods, strategic planning and design and development approaches. He is
currently the adviser of IAU Vice President for Studies, Development and Community Services. His last
book (published in Arabic) entitled The Simplifying-Integrating Approach to Contemporary Design,
Planning and Urban Development articulates his own problem-solving approach. He is the principle
editor of the Strategic Plan of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University 2018–2025. Mahmoud
Abdellatif is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: [email protected]
Reham Abdellatif is an Assistant Professor in Architecture, College of Design, Imam Abdulrahman
Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Saudi Arabia. She obtained an MSc degree from Assiut
University in 2003 and a PhD degree from Newcastle University, UK, in 2012. She has taught and
practiced Architecture and Interior Design for more than 22 years in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Her main
research focus is on Architectural Education and Curriculum Development, Analysing Design Learning
ARCH Activities, Distant/Online Learning, Communication and Computation, VR and Information
Technologies in Architecture. She ran the interior design curriculum development committee in
Assiut University and in IAU.

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