expose phd

Notes on writing a exposé

The first comprehensive written presentation of a research project takes place after the orientation and planning phase in the form of an exposé. It describes in a generally understandable way all essential aspects of the future project with regard to research context, research topic, research question, methods, sources and resources.

It is necessary or useful

  • for the registration of research projects (theses, dissertations)
  • for grant and research applications
  • as an indicator of practicality and consistency of content
  • as a basis for discussion
  • as a starting point for the more detailed planning of a research project.

Both the preparation of the exposé, which often requires a clear structuring and verbalization of the research idea for the first time, is useful for the researcher, as is the fixed result, which forms a thematic, methodological and planning anchor for the duration of the research project - regardless of how far one eventually moves away from it. There are no uniform guidelines for exposés. In the field of audio communication, exposés for theses should have a length of 3-4 pages of text (Arial 11 point single-spaced), for dissertations a length of 6-8 pages is common, while applications for grants and project proposals also require a length of 10-15 pages. The synopsis should have the following structure:

Heavily abbreviated, synoptic statement of research need, research question, method, expected result, and benefits.

Introduction

Brief outline of the topic with a quick focus on the subject under investigation. For this purpose, aspects of the history of technology or a research tradition can be outlined, an existing theoretical background can be illuminated, a classification in research disciplines can be made and, if applicable, a personal research interest can be stated. The introduction of the topic should be focused on a concrete question, at the same time the relevance of the topic should be made clear, e.g. with regard to society, basic research or concrete applications.

State of the art of research

Overview of existing work in the thematically closer research area. The author conveys his/her knowledge of the subject and points out research deficits and, if applicable, points of contact to existing work. This results in the research relevance, a further thematic delimitation as well as possible methodological approaches.

The methods used to answer the question outlined above should be named and their suitability briefly justified. This can be a source research, a qualitative or quantitative analysis, an empirical procedure (with experimental design, effect criteria, variation of conditions, sample, operationalization or measuring instrument, technical means and statistical evaluation) or a technical procedure. Here, too, a reference to methodological literature and methodologically comparable studies is appropriate. If source work is in the foreground, description and assessment of the source situation with regard to type, extent, expected relevance and accessibility, possibly also in the form of a table or a sketch. At this point, reference should also be made to existing declarations of intent and agreements (e.g. with archives, laboratories, cooperation partners).

Preliminary work

If preliminary work has already been done that goes beyond the planning of the investigation (e.g. extensive research, production of objects of investigation or research tools, preliminary experiments), this should be listed with reference to specific points of contact.

Work plan and time schedule

A preliminary structuring of the time available for the project in the form of a work plan documents a realistic assessment of the sequence, structure and scope of the expected research work. A weekly schedule is recommended for smaller projects, and a monthly schedule for larger ones. Within these units, several small work steps can be listed.

List of literature used in the synopsis. It should already include the publications central to the research, even if additional sources and references are developed during the course of the work.

Helpful literature:

Kruse, Otto (2005). Keine Angst vor dem leeren Blatt: ohne Schreibblockaden durchs Studium. (Campus concret; 16). 11. Aufl. Frankfurt/Main, New York: Campus. Karmasin, Matthias und Ribing, Rainer (2006). Die Gestaltung wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten. (UTB 2774), Wien: WUV Facultas

expose phd

Für Arbeitgeber

Finden Sie qualifizierte Mitarbeiter:innen

Aktuell ist der Funktionsumfang unserer Webseite eingeschränkt - Laden Sie die Seite neu, wenn dieser Hinweis nach wenigen Sekunden weiter angezeigt wird.

Exposé schreibt Wie schreibt man ein Exposé für die Dissertation?

Ein junger Mann macht konzentriert Notizen für sein Forschungsexposé

Das Exposé ist der erste Schritt Richtung Doktortitel. © Michael Edwards / iStock.com

Wer eine Doktorarbeit schreiben will, muss ein Exposé vorlegen. Es sollte die wissenschaftliche Eignung des Kandidaten oder der Kandidatin belegen und ist eine wichtige Vorarbeit für eine erfolgreiche Promotion.

Veröffentlicht: 03.03.2024

Von: Maria Zeitler

Artikelinhalt

Das Exposé einer Doktorarbeit: Was ist das?

Bevor Doktoranden und Doktorandinnen ihre Promotion angehen können, müssen sie ein Exposé für die Dissertation an der Hochschule einreichen. Wer sich für finanzielle Unterstützung der Doktorarbeit, zum Beispiel im Rahmen eines Forschungsstipendiums, bewirbt, braucht auch dafür ein Exposé.

In diesem Dokument legen die angehenden Promovend:innen dar,

  • welches Thema sie bearbeiten wollen,
  • welche Ansätze und Quellen sie nutzen wollen und
  • warum das Thema relevant für die Forschung ist.

Im Grunde gleicht das Exposé einer Dissertation also einem wissenschaftlichen Projektplan, der als wichtiges Element auch einen Zeitplan beinhalten soll. Da das Dokument bereits ganz zu Beginn der Recherche verfasst wird, hat es aber nicht den Anspruch, eine Kurzversion der späteren Dissertation zu sein. Wichtig ist, dass es den oder die Promotionsbetreuenden oder den Promotionsausschuss von der Relevanz des Forschungsprojektes überzeugen kann.

Neben der Zielsetzung des Exposés, einen Doktorvater oder eine Doktormutter beziehungsweise eine Promotionsstelle zu bekommen, erfüllt es jedoch auch für die zukünftigen Doktoranden oder die Doktorandin eine wichtige Funktion: Sie dient auch der eigenen Strukturierung . Da sich angehende Promovierende beim Verfassen des Exposés notwendigerweise intensiv mit dem Thema, der Herangehensweise und einem Zeitplan beschäftigen, wird das Vorgehen auch für sie selbst klarer. 

Im Exposé muss die Quellenlage und die wichtigste Literatur zum Thema angegeben werden. Es ist also sinnvoll, bereits in diesem Stadium mit der Recherche zu beginnen.

Aktuelle Doktorandenstellen

Helmholtz-Zentrum hereon GmbH - Geesthacht - Logo

Helmholtz-Zentrum hereon GmbH - Geesthacht

Pädagogische Hochschule Karlsruhe - Logo

Pädagogische Hochschule Karlsruhe

Technische Universität München (TUM) - Logo

Technische Universität München (TUM)

Verfassen eines Exposés: Die ersten Schritte

Bei der Erarbeitung des Exposés sollten Promovierende präzise und systematisch vorgehen , um keinen wichtigen Bestandteil zu vergessen. Die Leser:innen sind schließlich Wissenschaftler:innen und fachliche Expert:innen, die nicht nur den forschungsrelevanten Gehalt des Projekts, sondern auch dessen Machbarkeit bewerten.

Dissertationsthema eingrenzen und seine Relevanz darlegen

Der erste und wichtigste Schritt ist, das richtige Dissertationsthema zu finden. Im Exposé muss die leitende Fragestellung und Zielsetzung des Dissertationsvorhabens klar werden. Egal, ob der politische Widerstand in Francos Spanien oder die Synthese von Metalloxidmaterialien beleuchtet wird, die Eckpunkte für die Legitimation eines Themas sind fast immer dieselben: Neben einer thematischen Abgrenzung sind vor allem die Einordnung in die Forschungslandschaft sowie die Aktualität und Relevanz des Themas entscheidend. 

Zukünftige Doktorand:innen müssen deshalb schlüssig belegen, wo sie die bestehende Lücke in der Forschung sehen und warum gerade jetzt der richtige Zeitpunkt ist, die von ihnen aufgeworfene Fragestellung umfassend zu untersuchen. Je nach Disziplin kann zusätzlich die Entwicklung von Hypothesen ein wichtiger Bestandteil des Exposés sein. 

Wichtig ist, dass das Exposé an den Forschungsschwerpunkten der Hochschule, des Lehrstuhls oder der Graduiertenschule ausgerichtet ist. Nur wenn das Projekt dazu passt, hat die Bewerbung Aussicht auf Erfolg. Auch im Exposé sollte bereits wissenschaftlich gearbeitet werden – Fußnoten und Verweise auf Quellen inklusive.

Schon gewusst?

Sie sind noch unschlüssig, ob Sie promovieren sollten? Finden Sie es heraus! Als registrierte:r Nutzer:in können Sie kostenlos den Promotions-Test machen, den wir gemeinsam mit dem Psychologischen Institut der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg entwickelt haben.

Zum Promotions-Test

Forschungsmethode benennen und ihren Einsatz begründen

Im Exposé wird zudem üblicherweise bereits die Methode dargelegt, mit der das Forschungsobjekt untersucht werden soll. Denn: Eine gut gewählte Methode ist die Grundlage für eine erfolgreiche Dissertation. Das Exposé sollte schlüssig begründen, welche Methode oder Theorie verwendet wird und wie die Hypothesen überprüft werden .

Während im empirischen Teil der Arbeit inhaltlich Neues zutage treten muss, muss in Bezug auf die Methode das Rad nicht zwingend neu erfunden werden. Es lohnt sich also, zu recherchieren, wie andere Forschende in den vergangenen Jahren ähnliche Fragestellungen angegangen sind. Es ist durchaus legitim, sich im Forschungsexposé auf die Vorgänger:innen zu beziehen. Damit lässt sich nicht nur viel Zeit sparen – Doktorand:innen können so auch belegen, dass sie wissenschaftliche Prozesse verstehen.

Aufbau und Inhalt des Exposé

Der Aufbau eines Exposés kann sich je nach Fachbereich und Forschungsprojekt stark unterscheiden. Als Beispiel kann aber folgende Gliederung dienen: 

  • Forschungsfrage
  • Aktueller Forschungsstand
  • Theoretischer Hintergrund
  • Zielsetzung
  • Forschungsdesign und Methodik
  • Zeit- und Arbeitsplan
  • Bibliographie

Wie jede wissenschaftliche Arbeit dieser Größenordnung sollte das Exposé mit einem Deckblatt beginnen. Dort stehen Informationen zur Person (Name, Geburtsdatum, Email-Adresse, Anschrift, Telefonnummer) sowie ein vorläufiger Titel des Dissertationsprojekts. 

Der inhaltliche Teil beginnt mit den bereits skizzierten Aspekten zu Forschungsfrage, Forschungsstand, Theorie und Methodik. Es versteht sich von selbst, dass eine Gliederung zu diesem Zeitpunkt nur vorläufig ist. Niemand weiß, was die Laborergebnisse aussagen, welche Überraschung im Archiv wartet oder wie ergiebig die Interviews sind, auf denen die Dissertation basiert. Dennoch ist eine gut durchdachte Gliederung mit einem schlüssigen Zeitplan wichtig für die Bewertung des Dissertationsprojekts. 

Das Forschungsexposé endet mit einer Bibliographie aller im Text zitierten Quellen. Es bietet sich an, diese Liste durch wichtige Texte aus dem Forschungsbereich zu ergänzen. Im Idealfall haben angehende Doktorand:innen diese Bücher und Aufsätze nicht nur schon identifiziert, sondern bereits mit deren Lektüre begonnen. Denn es kann durchaus sein, dass im Vorstellungsgespräch Fragen zum Stand der Forschung kommen.

Der Zeitplan muss angemessen und realistisch sein

Wer sich an einer Graduiertenschule bewirbt , sollte berücksichtigen, dass dort oft der Doktortitel innerhalb von drei bis vier Jahren erreicht werden soll. Sollte schon im Exposé deutlich werden, dass ein solcher Zeitplan utopisch ist, wird die Bewerbung mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit abgelehnt.

Auch an anderen Hochschulen sollte bei einer Vollzeitpromotion die Dauer auf drei Jahre ausgerichtet sein – das empfehlen auch der Wissenschaftsrat und die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Wer eine nebenberufliche Promotion und deshalb einen längeren Zeitraum anstrebt, sollte das transparent und explizit darstellen. Ein Konzept mit konkreten Arbeitsschritten zur Beantwortung der Fragestellung oder zur Überprüfung der Hypothesen hilft dabei, einen realistischen Zeitplan zu entwerfen.

Nichts mehr verpassen?

Legen Sie sich einen Account an, um von allen Vorteilen unter “Mein academics” zu profitieren!

Tipps und Beispiele für gute Exposés

Einer der wichtigsten Ratschläge für das Erstellen eines Forschungsexposés ist, sich so viel Zeit wie möglich dafür zu nehmen – es ist schließlich nicht weniger als die Grundlage der Dissertation.

Auch auf Sprache und Stil sollte großer Wert gelegt werden. Ganz grundlegend gilt: Das Exposé sollte in derselben Sprache wie die spätere Doktorarbeit verfasst werden. Weil das Foschungsexposé für die Prüfenden auch den Beweis erbringen soll, dass der angehende Doktorand oder die angehende Doktorandin zu wissenschaftlichem Arbeiten in der Lage ist, sollte das Dokument objektiv, präzise und verständlich formuliert werden. Hier finden Sie mehr Tipps für gutes wissenschaftliches Schreiben .

Außerdem sind Angaben aus der Theorie oder dem Forschungsstand sorgfältig mit Quellenangaben zu versehen. Hier sollten sich Promotionskandidat:innen auch an den Konventionen ihres Faches orientieren, vor allem, was sprachliche Besonderheiten, Terminologien sowie formale Richtlinien betrifft. Im Zweifel kann auch zu diesem Thema Rücksprache mit der Betreuungsperson, dem:der Vorsitzenden des Promotionsausschusses oder der Fakultätsleitung gehalten werden. In allen Fachdisziplinen sind jedoch klare und eindeutige Satzgefüge wichtig. Zudem sollten Promovierende auf eine gendergerechte Sprache achten.

Beispiele aus der Praxis 

Um ein Gefühl dafür zu bekommen, wie ein Exposé aussehen sollte, ist es am besten, sich Beispiele wie dieses Exposé zum ethischen Leser auf Researchgate . Die Rechtswissenschaftliche Fakultät der Universität Freiburg hat eine Vorlage ins Netz gestellt , die Promovierenden ihres Fachbereichs bei der Erstellung des Forschungsexposés helfen kann.

Es lohnt sich auch, andere Promovierende anzusprechen oder im eigenen Fachbereich um Einsicht in bisher eingereichte Forschungsexposés zu bitten. Auch in Doktorandennetzwerken können Ansprechpartner:innen bereit sein, Beispiele von Exposés zur Verfügung zu stellen oder Tipps zu geben.

Verwandte Themen

Weitere ratgeber zum thema promotion.

Ein Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter mit dunklen Dreadlocks an einem Schreibtisch in der Bibliothek

Gehalt: Was verdienen Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter:innen?

Das Gehalt Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter:innen ist tariflich geregelt. Wie hoch ist es und welche Steigerungen sind mit wachsender Berufserfahrung zu erwarten?

Eine junge Studentin mit einem Laptop auf dem Bett in ihrem Wohnheimzimmer

Themenfindung: Worüber schreiben in der Bachelorarbeit?

Bei der Suche nach einem Thema für die Bachelorarbeit verzweifeln viele Studierende. Wer einige Punkte berücksichtigt, kann diese Herausforderung meistern.

Gartenstuehle Symbolbild Vorstellungsgespraech wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter

Bewerbungsgespräch als wissenschaftliche:r Mitarbeiter:in

Sie wurden zu einem Vorstellungsgespräch als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter oder wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin an einer Hochschule oder Forschungseinrichtung eingeladen? Wir erklären Ihnen, worauf es ankommt.

expose phd

Logo of facebook.com/Meta

Password requirements: at least 10 characters (1 capital letter, 1 digit, 1 symbol)

Your location IP or your device IP has changed. For security reasons we have sent a PIN to the e-mail address stored in your user profile. Please enter this PIN below and log in.

For any queries or personal advice, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly support team – we look forward to hearing from you! You can call us on:

Germany & Austria

Other countries (Support in English)

Phone Number

+49 176 32 48 00 11

+359 87 645 58 59

Availability

08:00 – 17:00 (CET) Monday to Friday

09:00 – 18:00 (EET) Monday to Friday

Here's how simply it goes:

Wired headphones with microphone

Be among the first 999 buyers that get a high-quality Wireless Earphone for their first order on THESIS.ME.

0 Euro in red on blue background

Benefit from free courier delivery for all orders.

**Free delivery applies to standard deliveries. For overnight express deliveries, the usual courier costs will apply.

  • Video Tutorials
  • Writing a Thesis Exposé

Learn to write an exceptional exposé in 7 minutes

Impress your doctoral supervisor. With an extraordinary research exposé. We walk you through all components – step by step. Everything from structure to content – explained in simple terms. Start right away!

Welcome to the tutorial “Prepare your PhD with an exposé extraordinaire“. Anyone applying for a doctorate at a university, graduate school, or fellowship must submit a research exposé. The purpose of such an exposé is to convince your potential doctoral supervisor or the doctoral committee of your research project. However, writing an exposé is extremely demanding and time-consuming. In addition, prospective doctoral candidates are often unclear about what an exposé should contain. In this tutorial, we will therefore provide you with a precise overview of the steps you need to take in order to create a convincing exposé with which you will blow your potential supervisor’s mind.

Purpose of a research exposé

Before we introduce you to the structure of an exposé in detail, we will first give you a general idea of this type of text. The exposé is the project outline for your doctoral thesis. It describes the intended research project, its relevance as well as the planned method and timeframe for carrying out the project. In doing so, the exposé fulfills several functions at once: On the one hand, it is about convincing others to approve your doctoral project or to obtain a scholarship or a doctoral position. On the other hand, it serves to provide clarity to your approach by structuring your previous preparatory work and the individual work steps according to specific criteria. As far as the scope of an exposé for a doctoral thesis is concerned, the respective department is of essential importance. In principle, the size should be in relation to the intended scope of the thesis. For example, an exposé for a doctoral thesis in the humanities will usually be more extensive than for a doctoral thesis in medicine. As a rule of thumb, the body text of an exposé, i.e. without cover page and bibliography, should be between five and 20 pages. It is critical to the success of your exposé that you align yourself with the research priorities of the educational institution or supervisor where you are applying. The more your exposé fits in, the more likely it is that your research project will be met with approval. And since an exposé is a scientific type of text, you should not forget to strictly follow all the criteria of academic writing here as well. This also includes citing sources correctly.

Exposé writing explained step by step

Now that you know the basics of what an exposé is about, we can turn to the main thing: the structure and content of an exposé. First of all, we would like to point out that the specific structure and content of a dissertation depends strongly on the discipline and the dissertation project. Nevertheless, there are some components that are usually included in every exposé and should therefore be considered by you. Let's begin with the first point. Every exposé starts with a cover sheet. There, in addition to your name, date of birth, and contact information, you will also specify the preliminary title of your thesis as well as the university, department, and institute. Next is a concise summary about the thesis topic and a brief explanation of the problem. This includes placing the topic in the research landscape, detailing the relevance and timeliness of the topic, and highlighting a research gap that you intend to fill with your work. The scope of the summary is approximately the same as that of an abstract. In order to justify and legitimize your own project, you present the current state of research in the next step. Present the relevant literature on your dissertation topic and reflect on it with regard to your problem. In this context, the goal is to show which research results are already available, which trends are prevailing, and to what extent your work will contribute to new research findings based on these results. Insofar as you are tracing how the subject area in question has developed in research, you can also use older literature. But the primary focus should be on current literature. By the way, if you have already done scientific work on the topic, for example as part of a bachelor's or master's thesis, you should also mention this at this point. Based on your literature review, you can now present the theoretical framework of your research project by indicating which theories you would like to refer to. At this point you explain essential terms and definitions and indicate to what extent the theory can make an argumentative contribution to your work. Another option is to design your own theory model based on various elements of existing theories or models. In any case, the presentation of the theoretical background serves to lay the foundation for your investigation. Once the theoretical foundation for your thesis is laid, it's time to define the goal of your project. Referring back to the problem definition, you must explain in more detail what exactly is to be accomplished at the end of the work, why this is relevant to the research, and how this will lead to a gain in knowledge. Based on the objectives, you will develop a central research question and possible sub-questions. Depending on the subject area, it may also be necessary to formulate hypotheses and make assertions in this context. After that, what matters is how you want to answer the guiding question and any other questions that arise from it. To this end, your task is to list each step, describe the method used for each step, and justify the use of each method. Which methods are used depends on whether your research is a literature research, an empirical research, or an experimental research. The spectrum of methods therefore ranges from texts and case studies to qualitative and quantitative content analyses, experiments, interviews, questionnaires and software. Of course, good project planning also includes a preliminary outline as well as a realistic timetable to give yourself and your potential supervisor some orientation. In the outline, you give the preliminary structure of the thesis in the form of a table of contents. If you do not yet know how to name the individual chapters, your sub-questions will suffice as titles for the time being. In the schedule, you define a time period in tabular form for each work step and specify which results are to be achieved at the respective time. You should also assign sub-questions and methods to the individual periods. It is common to divide the time periods into months or quarters. When applying for a scholarship or a doctoral position, you should keep in mind that the total period to be considered is usually two to three years. In addition, it may also be necessary to add a financing plan in these cases. This brings us to the last point. A preliminary bibliography belongs at the end of an exposé. Here you list all the sources that you have evaluated for the preparation of your exposé. You should limit yourself to those publications that have proven useful and relevant in your preliminary work. It is also important that you list the sources in alphabetical order.

Need to print and bind your thesis? Order conveniently online now. At thesis.me you will benefit from brilliantly low prices, super fast processing and many other top services:

✔ Standardized & creative paper and binding options ✔ 3D preview with innovative look-inside-the-book option ✔ Optional book publication with ISBN number ✔ Variety of vouchers & coupons to save money ✔ Free shipping to your home or university ✔ Free guides on studying & doing a doctorate ✔ and much more.

Arrow pointing upwards icon.

SPIN TO WIN A DISCOUNT & SAVE MONEY

Logo of thesis.me and live chat text.

  • Overview 2024
  • Workshops 2024
  • Faculty of Law and Economics
  • Faculty of Medicine
  • Faculty of Philosophy I
  • Faculty of Philosophy II
  • Faculty of Philosophy III
  • Faculty of Natural Sciences I
  • Faculty of Natural Sciences II
  • Faculty of Natural Sciences III
  • Some research prospects
  • Starting the path to a doctorate
  • Funding opportunities
  • Acceptance and admission
  • Documents and forms
  • Tips, tricks and advice
  • Doctoral student’s profiles
  • InGrA Meeting Hours
  • Transfer and entrepreneurship
  • Career paths
  • Doctoral students representation
  • Platforms and networks
  • Supervision
  • Projects and networks
  • Partners at MLU
  • Information from faculties
  • Webseite InGrA
  • University and city
  • Workshops 2023
  • Workshops 2022
  • Workshops 2021
  • Workshops 2020
  • Workshops 2019

Blog of the International Graduate Academy

News for graduates and postdocs at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg

Remember me

Recover Password

12. Feb 2024

Writing an exposé

Written by Emma Harlow

Do you have a research question that you would like to investigate? Would you like to do that in the context of a doctorate? Are you planning to present your idea to your preferred professor to apply as a candidate for supervision? It’s time to write your exposé!

The exposé provides an overview of your planned research work. It links your research question with a plan for its investigation. You provide a clearly understandable, coherently reasoned explanation of

  • what you want to investigate,
  • why you’re investigating it and
  • how you want to investigate it.

expose phd

A well-written synopsis not only convinces scholarship providers or potential supervisors of your research idea. It also helps you as the author to structure your own project, to critically question it and to recognize potential challenges early on. Think of the exposé as a very first draft of your dissertation. This type of preparation can save valuable time, energy and resources later on.

Form and structure of an exposé

A clear structure is the necessary framework for convincingly communicating the core of your idea – the research question. You explain how you derived it and how you want to investigate it. There is not one strict form that an exposé must follow. However, certain key elements should be present in a logical order to achieve a comprehensible result.

The structure

A) abstract.

The abstract narrows down the content of your exposé to approximately half a page. It is the figurehead of your synopsis. Since the convincing power of this section determines whether the reader takes an interest in the detailed synopsis, it should contain the research question as well as the most important information about the research interest, the intended methods and the expected results. The abstract is usually written last.

B) Problem definition and research interest

At first, you situate the planned work in the discipline and demonstrate its relevance. To do so, you introduce a scientific problem that forms the basis of your specific research question. This part should build on a good selection of scientific sources. In order to not get lost in the vastness of a field, try to narrow down the area of your work. By defining the scope of your anticipated research, you’ll already reflect a lot about possible constraints. This will help you develop a good reasoning for your research question and anticipate challenges for its investigation. Also, let the readers know why you want to address this problem in particular and explain to them why you want to find a solution.

C) Current state of research

Closely connected to the definition of the scientific problem, you prove the relevance of the topic based on the state of the scientific debate around it. You outline what is known about the research objective, if it’s been challenged before and if so, in which manner. When selecting works for this section, consider them from the perspective of what the most important scientific positions on the topic are and what gaps in knowledge currently exist. What deficiencies or points of criticism do you see in the existing works in this field? Be careful about judging the work of other scientists, rather focus on the contribution you could add to the field. All these considerations form the base to develop and justify a new research question.

D) Your research question

Based on the knowledge about the scientific problem and the state of the art, you introduce your specific research question. Develop hypotheses and assumptions about possible outcomes. It should become clear what the aim of the work is, why it is relevant and to what extent answering the research question will advance the field of knowledge.

E) Methodology, (re)sources and materials

Here, you identify the methods, resources and materials needed to investigate your research question. They depend heavily on the approach of your work, whether you are primarily conducting primary surveys or aiming for secondary analyses. Explain the choice of methods in terms of their suitability to investigate your research question and the pragmatics of their application. You should also think about the availability of and the access to (re)sources and materials. In case you’re using material from preliminary work, e.g. your master’s thesis, you should also be transparent about this here. At the end of this section, the way of proceeding should be clear and there should be a comprehensible preliminary research design.

F) Preliminary work plan and time schedule

In the next step, you present the planned workflow together with a time reference. Your schedule should prove that your proposed research design is able to gain answers to your research question in a foreseeable and identifiable time frame. At an early stage, it is clear that you cannot plan everything in detail. Larger intervals, such as quarterly targets, are easier to plan at this stage. Subquestions, an intermediate goal or method should be assigned to each time interval. This could be presented in the form of a table. You should add a start and a provisional end date to your plan. It is important that you keep your timetable realistic. Research involves uncertainties, surprises and sometimes delays. You should also consider your own abilities and take into account existing commitments (e.g. care work) when designing your plan. The duration of a doctorate is three to four years. Keep in mind that not all of this time will be dedicated to research. If you are planning to work part-time alongside your doctorate, be transparent about how this will affect the time required to complete your thesis. Adapt the schedule accordingly.

G) Bibliography

Last but not least, giving an overview on the literature you’ve used to design your research proposal is mandatory. Focus on relevant, pertinent and accessible literature and limit yourself to the most helpful works for writing the synopsis. When referring to literature, pay attention to a consistent citation style.

The form and language of an exposé

Number of pages The length and level of details depend on the time, the purpose, the subject area and the respective requirements. If you want to submit a proactive application to a professor and want to convince them with your idea to supervise you as a doctoral candidate, a short synopsis of a few pages (up to 5) will be sufficient. It is not advisable to write a very detailed exposé at this stage and for this purpose. Exposés in more developed versions are usually between 5 and 20 pages long. They mark the end of an in-depth orientation and preparation phase and are therefore more extensive. Exposés written for the acquisition of scholarships and research funding tend to be oriented towards the upper page limit.

Language The general rules for scientific writing also apply for exposés. Precise wording ensures that your synopsis is understood. You should pay attention to the correct use of technical terms and to avoiding colloquial language. As you are presenting your own ideas in the exposé, it is advisable to use your own words and use verbatim quotations only very sparingly. Also, keep an eye on redundancies and try to avoid them. It is also important to pay attention to correct spelling and grammar. Neglecting spelling and grammar will give the reader the impression of carelessness. Proofreading is recommended before an exposé is sent out.

Formal aspects The cover page of your exposé should contain the following information: Your first and last name, your academic degree, the provisional title of the thesis, the topic, and, after they confirmed to supervise you, the name of the respective supervisor(s). Format your exposé reader-friendly: use 1.15pt to 1.5pt line spacing, a calm font (e.g. Arial, Georgia) in an appropriate size (11 or 12), and use justified text, page numbers and add a table of contents.

Further considerations and tips on writing an exposé

When writing down your own research idea for the very first time, it can be helpful to understand the creation of the synopsis as a process that serves to improve your own understanding. For a first application to a potential supervisor, the result does not have to be perfect, as there are still a lot of uncertainties. If your idea leads to a confirmation of supervision, a more differentiated exposé can be developed. During the process, there will most likely be many changes that will influence the outline of the doctorate as it progresses. You don’t have to know every single aspect right away and adjustments can be made later if they become necessary. Expanding your exposé and adapting it to changes is easier if you already have a well thought-out structure.

Sometimes you need to present your research idea for different purposes and/or at different times. For example, when applying to a research school before starting your doctorate or for research funding later on. Depending on the occasion, you can and should adapt your exposé accordingly to meet the respective requirements. If you’re writing an exposé to apply for a scholarship, discussing your exposé with colleagues and your supervisor can be an advantage. They are already familiar with writing research proposals and have academic experience, so they can contribute their perspective on scientific and formal aspects to the discussion. Also, adapt your timeplan to the scholarship’s period of funding.

Further information

  • An article with video about putting together your exposé is presented on this website . (Note: There is advertising for paid services on this website, but the most important content is available free of charge. We only point out the free content and do not advertise the paid services.)
  • If you’re interested in a very detailed explanation of what a thesis outline contains and also in the linguistic aspects of it, visit this website and benefit from numerous further links to in-depth content.
  • In addition to a chapter on the exposé , the brochure “Doing your doctorate. Making conscious decisions and getting off to a good start.” by the network Qualitätszirkel Promotion (QZP) contains lots of further information for anyone preparing for a doctorate .
  • Griffith University’s tips for developing an exposé focus on identifying a suitable research topic for yourself and provide helpful guidelines as well as a video in which doctoral candidates talk about the process.
  • Die Universität Osnabrück bietet mit ihrer Broschüre über das Schreiben eines wissenschaftlichen Exposés einen sehr ausführlichen Leitfaden .
  • Einen guten Übersichtsartikel über das Schreiben eines Exposés mit einem Fokus auf die Literaturverwaltung bietet dieser Artikel .
  • Der Leitfaden zum Verfassen eines Exposés der Universität Bielefeld enthält eine Checkliste zur Strukturierung und Unterstützung des Schreibprozesses.
  • In einem ausführlichen Video (19 min) zu Inhalten und Aufbau eines Exposés für die Dissertation teilt ein Wissenschaftscoach seine Erfahrungen und Tipps.
  • Die Broschüre Promotion – bewusst entscheiden und gut starten des Qualitätszirkel Promotion (QZP) enthält neben einem Kapitel zum Exposé viele weitere hilfreiche Informationen für alle, die sich auf eine Promotion vorbereiten.
  • Aus dem Netz der MLU (intern oder VPN) kann das Buch Promotionsplanung und Exposee von Jutta Wergen aufgerufen werden (Stand: 06.02.2024). Es enthält unter anderem einen ausführlichen Ratgeber mit Hilfestellungen und Anleitung zum Verfassen eines Exposés.

Doctorate in Germany , tips, tricks and advice | No Comments

Tags: exposé | writing

Über Emma Harlow

' src=

Comments are closed.

Recent Posts

  • [Wissenschaft im Dialog] CZS STEM Impact School (Nov/Dec 2024)
  • Blog des GRAFÖ-NETZ gestartet
  • Postdoc Appreciation Week Germany (September 16-20, 2024)
  • 1. Graduiertenforum LEUCOREA „Im Bannkreis der Freiheit. Zum Verhältnis von Religion und moderner Freiheitsgeschichte“ (18.-20.11.24)
  • [UL] Lunch Lectures: Shine Through Open Science (July 24, 2024 | online)
  • Doctoral student wins Transferpreis 2024
  • Das 1×1 der Konflikte (24.09.2024)
  • [UL] Lunch Lectures: Mein erstes „Vorsingen“ für die Professur – (F)Einheiten und Fallstricke (July 12, 2024 | online)
  • [GSO] The Importance of Support Systems and Funding on Research Success
  • [Global Young Academy] Challenges Faced by Women Researchers: Stories from all around the Globe
  • Complementary Skills Workshop 2019
  • Complementary Skills Workshop 2020
  • Complementary Skills Workshop 2021
  • Complementary Skills Workshop 2022
  • Complementary Skills Workshop 2023
  • Complementary Skills Workshop 2024
  • Doctoral students profile
  • Doctorate at MLU
  • Doctorate in Germany
  • external workshops and events
  • Former doctoral program
  • InGrA Program 2019
  • InGrA Program 2020
  • InGrA Program 2021
  • InGrA Program 2022
  • InGrA Program 2023
  • InGrA Program 2024
  • International
  • MLU Newcomers Club
  • News for PostDocs
  • News from MLU
  • News from the graduate schools 2020
  • News from the graduate schools 2021
  • News from the graduate schools 2022
  • News from the graduate schools 2023
  • News from the graduate schools 2024
  • Overview InGrA courses
  • platforms and networks
  • Publication of doctoral students
  • Structured doctoral programs at Faculties of Medicine
  • Structured doctoral programs at Faculty of Law and Economics
  • Structured doctoral programs at Faculty of Natural Sciences I
  • Structured doctoral programs at Faculty of Natural Sciences II
  • Structured doctoral programs at Faculty of Natural Sciences III
  • Structured doctoral programs at Faculty of Philosophy I
  • Structured doctoral programs at Faculty of Philosophy II
  • sustainability
  • tips, tricks and advice
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
  • About InGrA
  • About MLU and the City of Halle (Saale)
  • Doctoral students representation at MLU
  • Doctoral studies and HalDoc – your steps during the doctorate at MLU
  • Doctoral studies at MLU – Contacts and information from the faculties
  • Documents and forms for your PhD studies at MLU Halle
  • Evaluation complementary skills workshops
  • Funding opportunities for the doctorate
  • Online survey
  • Overview of structured doctoral programs at MLU
  • Projects and networks of InGrA
  • Research at MLU: Some research prospects for early career scientists in Halle
  • Für Betreuende
  • Für Promovierende
  • Weiterführende Informationen zu Supervision
  • Title of the press release: e.g. Asymmetry goes spiral
  • Results of an online survey on doctoral supervision
  • Was Betreuende erwarten – Interview mit Prof. Dr. Daniel Wefers
  • Was Betreuende erwarten – Interview mit Prof. Dr. Ingo Heilmann
  • Was Betreuende erwarten – Interview mit Prof. Dr. Jenny Haase
  • Was Betreuende erwarten – Interview mit Prof. Dr. Konstanze Senge
  • What supervisors want – Interview: main take-aways

Recent Comments

Blog of the International Graduate Academy is using the blogs@URZ Default Theme

design.code. matthias.kretschmann

Ein Blog von Blogs@MLU , dem Blog-Dienst des IT-Servicezentrums der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg

Features | Nutzungsbedingungen | Kontakt/Impressum | Disclaimer | Datenschutzerklärung

expose phd

  • How to Write a Great PhD Research Proposal | FindAPhD.com

How to Write a Great PhD Research Proposal

Written by Mark Bennett

You'll need to write a research proposal if you're submitting your own project plan as part of a PhD application. A good PhD proposal outlines the scope and significance of your topic and explains how you plan to research it.

It's helpful to think about the proposal like this: if the rest of your application explains your ability to do a PhD, the proposal demonstrates the actual PhD you plan to do. Of course, being able to effectively plan and explain a research project is one of the key qualifications for being able to complete one, which is why the proposal is such an important part of the PhD application process.

Thankfully, the secret to writing a good research proposal isn't complicated. It's simply a case of understanding what the proposal is for, what it needs to do and how it needs to be put together.

On this page

What is a phd research proposal.

First things first, do you need a research proposal for your PhD? It depends on the kind of project you want to do:

  • If your PhD is advertised by a university, you probably won't need to submit a research proposal for it. The broad aims and objectives for your PhD will already be defined: you just need to prove you're the right person to do it.
  • But, if you're proposing your own research topic to research within a university's PhD programme, you will need to write a proposal for it (the clue is in the word "proposing")

As a rule, advertised PhDs are very common in STEM subjects, whereas Arts, Humanities and Social Science students are more likely to propose their own PhDs.

Some PhD programmes actually wait and ask students to develop their research proposal during the degree (usually after they've completed some initial training). This is normal in the USA , but it's becoming more common for some UKRI-funded UK PhDs.

For the purposes of this guide we're going to assume that you do need to write a good research proposal for your PhD application. So let's explore what's involved in that.

Pick the right programme for you

There are lots of choices, let us help you to make the right one. Sign up to our weekly newsletter for the latest advice and guidance from our team of experts.

What should a research proposal for PhD admission include?

It's natural to be a little intimidated at the thought of structuring a PhD proposal, particularly if you've never written anything like this before.

But here's the thing: a research proposal isn't a fiendish test designed to catch you out and stop you ever doing a PhD. It's actually much more boring than that.

All a research proposal really is is a document that demonstrates three things:

  • Your PhD is worthwhile
  • Your PhD is feasible
  • You are capable of completing it at this university

Or to put it even more simply: the PhD is worth doing, it's doable and you can do it.

Demonstrate your PhD is worthwhile (the what and the why)

A successful PhD project has to make a significant original contribution to knowledge. If it doesn't, it won't meet the criteria for a doctoral degree and will probably fail the viva exam .

Your PhD proposal itself doesn't have to meet those criteria (or pass a viva!) but it does need to indicate that your PhD project eventually will.

It does that by first demonstrating that your research topic is original. That means nobody else has studied this same topic (or one very similar) before.

There are all sorts of ways a PhD can be original. You might examine new data or primary sources, to look at existing material from a fresh perspective, or deal with the impact of new events. It doesn't matter how your project is original, so long as your proposal is really specific about what makes it original.

You also need to explain why your proposed research will be academically significant. To do this properly, you'll need to acknowledge relevant existing scholarship and explain how your research will relate to it. You don't need to be exhaustive at this point, but you should be able to show how your PhD will contribute to its field and – ideally – indicate some of the gaps in knowledge it will aim to fill.

The final step in demonstrating your PhD is worthwhile is to suggest what will become possible as a result of your research. How could other researchers use or build upon your results? What might closing those gaps in academic knowledge mean for audiences outside the unviversity?

Demonstrate your PhD is feasible (the how)

It isn't enough just to show that your research is worth doing; it also needs to actually be doable.

The length of a full-time PhD is around three to four years in most countries (it's longer in for a PhD in the USA , but you don't spend all that time doing research).

Three years may seem like a long time, but researching a PhD is a lot of work and you'll probably spend at least some of your time on other activities like teaching, conference presentations or even publication.

So, one of the things your proposal needs to do is demonstrate that your project is feasible: that it fits within the scope of a PhD.

The most important criteria for this is to be clear about what you plan to do. It should be obvious from your proposal what the scope of your project is – what is and isn't included within it.

You also need to outline how you plan to go about your research. Where will you start and what order do you expect to proceed in? Is the logic for that obvious? If not, it's probably a good idea to explain it.

Finally, you need to explain the methodology you plan to use. This could include techniques for collecting data and sources, theoretical perspectives for analysing them – or both. You may also need to detail specific equipment you expect to use or fieldwork you'll need to undertake (including trips to archives or other external resources).

None of this needs to be exact or completely final. The key word here is 'plan' – but you do need to have one.

Demonstrate that you can complete it at this university (the who and the where)

So far we've thought about the project itself: what makes it worth doing and how it's going to get done. But your proposal also needs to address the who and the where: why are you the right person to carry out this research, and why do you want to do it at this particular university?

The first part of this is easier than it probably looks. Writing a good research proposal demonstrates enthusiasm for your project much more convincingly than simply saying you're very interested in it (a classic case of 'show, don't tell').

You also don't need to repeat your grades and academic achievements (other parts of your PhD application will cover those). Instead, try to underline experiences that relate to this project. Has a particular module or Masters dissertation topic prepared you with useful subject knowledge or methodological skills? If so, highlight it.

It's also fine, within reason, to be honest about the skills you don't have and to identify your training needs. This shows you're being practical about your project and thinking seriously about what it will require. Just make sure you can realistically acquire the skills and training you need within the time available (this goes back to the feasibility).

Showing your project is a good fit for the university is also relatively simple. There should already be some reasons why you've chosen this university for your PhD so make sure you explain what they are. Perhaps there's a particular supervisor you'd like to work with , or facilities and resources your research could use. The key is to emphasise the fit between the project and the university – so don't just say you want to research there because it's highly ranked .

PhD research proposal structure

Hopefully the above sections have given you a few ideas for the things your proposal needs to include. Let's be honest though, the scariest thing about a proposal isn't deciding what to include: it's actually writing it.

But, if we flip that on its head, we remember that all a research proposal really is is a piece of writing that follows a pretty standard format. And that's a lot less scary.

Research proposal structure

Because proposals for PhD all have to do the same things, they mostly follow a similar structure. Yours will probably go something like this:

  • Title – Keep it simple and descriptive: the clever alliteration and quotes can come later when you write up your thesis. For now, you just want the person reading this to know exactly what your research is about and, perhaps, which prospective supervisor to send it to.
  • Overview – Start by defining your research question (the what) and explaining how it contributes to current work in your field (the why). This is also a good place to reference one or two pieces of scholarship: the full literature review can wait until your PhD begins, but you should show that you have some understanding of relevant academic research.
  • Methodology – Make sure the reader understands the practical and / or theoretical approaches you'll take to your research. What data will you collect, how will you collect it and how will you analyse it? Ideally refer to relevant research methods and models. It's also a good idea to provide some sort of roadmap for how you'll go about things. Don't worry, you can change it later (and you will).
  • Outcomes and impact – What will exist as a result of your research (other than just another PhD on a library shelf) and what will it make possible? You don't need to identify every specific outcome from your project (blue sky research is fine) but you should think about what some potential outcomes might be.

You probably won't need to include a specific conclusion - it should be obvious, by now, what your project is doing, how you're going to do it and why that matters. A quick summary sentence is fine though, if you think it will help.

Writing tips

Being able to effectively communicate academic concepts, ideas and results is a key skill for PhD research in all subjects . Think of your proposal as a chance to demonstrate this.

The good news is that the key principles of good proposal writing aren't that different from other work you've probably done as a Bachelors or Masters student:

  • Be clear – The person reading your research proposal should know exactly what it is you're proposing to research, with no room for ambiguity and confusion. This is important on a practical level (they need to know where to send it) but it's also important to the success of your application: a confusing proposal suggests a confused project. Try having a friend read it and ask them "do you know what it is I'm proposing to do here?" (even if they don't understand the details).
  • Be concise – You will have more ideas than you can include in your proposal. That's fine. Choose the best ones and leave the others for your interview .
  • be coherent – Follow something like the structure above. Don't start with your methodology, then say what it is you want to research.

How long should a PhD research proposal be?

Honestly? As long as the university asks for it to be. Most will have guidelines and you should follow them closely if so.

If you honestly can't find a suggested word count for your proposal, then consider asking a prospective supervisor . If you still aren't sure, aim for somewhere between 1,000-2,000 words .

As a very general rule, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are a bit longer than STEM proposals (and a lot of STEM students don't have to write one anyway, as we've explained).

Research proposal for PhD admission - dos and don'ts

Research proposals are a popular topic over on the FindAPhD blog , where we've shared stories of how students wrote theirs , along with mistakes to avoid and a counter-intuitive look at the things a PhD proposal doesn't actually need to do .

Here are a few general tips and mistakes to avoid:

#1 Give yourself enough time to do a good job

Preparing to write a PhD proposal takes time and effort. None of this is wasted as the process of evaluating and framing your ideas for a proposal will improve your project plan immensely. So will the need to decide which ideas to include.

But you need time and space to do that, so make sure you get it. How long it will take to write your PhD proposal is heavily dependent on your personal working style, but you'll likely need to give yourself at least a few weeks to do a good job.

#2 Set out to impress

A good proposal isn't a begging letter. You're approaching the university with a great idea that's going to contribute to and enhance their research. Be honest, be realistic, but don't be unnecessarily humble. They should want you and your project.

#3 Demonstrate original thinking!

You may not need to present original research findings yet, but your proposal does need to present original ideas – and it should be clear why and how those ideas are original.

Make sure you indicate how your project is going to expand, enhance or even correct existing work in your field. Remember that making an "original contribution to knowledge" is a key part of what a PhD is .

#1 Send the same proposal to several universities

A good proposal needs to explain why you want to do your research at a particular university. That's a big part of the feasibility (the fit between project, person and place) and methodology (how are you going to use this university's equipment and archives; when and where will you need to travel).

It's OK to apply to more than one university in parallel, but, in that case, you're writing research proposals .

#2 Use online proposal templates (without evaluating them first!)

It can be tempting to search for PhD proposal samples on the internet, but make sure you evaluate what you find. Some websites may host old proposals from previous PhD students, but there's no way of knowing how relevant these are to your subject and university – or if they were even successful! More 'generic' research proposal examples can offer guidance, but they won't be tailored to your specific project.

The best place to look for a PhD proposal sample is your university. Consider asking your supervisor if they can share a good proposal from a previous student in your subject – or put you in touch with a current student you can ask.

#3 Confuse the proposal with the PhD

We've covered this on the blog , but it's simple enough to include here too.

You're setting out to do a PhD, but you (probably!) haven't done one yet. So you don't need to include research findings, in-depth analysis or a comprehesive literature review. You need to make a case for the research and analysis you want to do.

#4 Ignore your university's help and guidance

The advice on this page is necessarily quite general. We're considering adding guides to writing PhD proposals in specific subjects in future but, for now, the best place to get specific advice for your academic field is probably the university you're applying to.

See if you can get some subject-specific tips by contacting a supervisor , or just checking with the admissions team for your department.

And remember: if they give you a structure and a word count, stick to it.

Ready to apply for a PhD?

Find out what PhD opportunities are currently available with our FindAPhD course listings .

Our postgrad newsletter shares courses, funding news, stories and advice

You may also like....

expose phd

We've answered some of the most frequently asked questions about PhDs, covering course types, applications, funding and the benefits of further study.

expose phd

Getting ready to apply for a PhD? Our guides explain research proposals, references and entry tests for doctoral programmes.

expose phd

Our guide explains how to contact a potential PhD supervisor to discuss your proposal or ideas with them before applying.

expose phd

A checklist of the things you'll need to do when making an international PhD application, from meeting the entry requirements to sorting out your visa.

FindAPhD. Copyright 2005-2024 All rights reserved.

Unknown    ( change )

Have you got time to answer some quick questions about PhD study?

Select your nearest city

You haven’t completed your profile yet. To get the most out of FindAPhD, finish your profile and receive these benefits:

  • Monthly chance to win one of ten £10 Amazon vouchers ; winners will be notified every month.*
  • The latest PhD projects delivered straight to your inbox
  • Access to our £6,000 scholarship competition
  • Weekly newsletter with funding opportunities, research proposal tips and much more
  • Early access to our physical and virtual postgraduate study fairs

Or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

*Offer only available for the duration of your active subscription, and subject to change. You MUST claim your prize within 72 hours, if not we will redraw.

expose phd

Do you want hassle-free information and advice?

Create your FindAPhD account and sign up to our newsletter:

  • Find out about funding opportunities and application tips
  • Receive weekly advice, student stories and the latest PhD news
  • Hear about our upcoming study fairs
  • Save your favourite projects, track enquiries and get personalised subject updates

expose phd

Create your account

Looking to list your PhD opportunities? Log in here .

  • Harvard Library
  • Research Guides
  • Faculty of Arts & Sciences Libraries

Overleaf Professional at Harvard

Writing your dissertation.

  • Get Started
  • LaTeX Resources
  • Sync with Reference Managers
  • Add Graphs, Tables, & Images
  • Collaborate with Overleaf
  • Multilingual Typesetting

Overleaf's unofficial  Harvard PhD Thesis and Dissertation template was created 3 years ago, please consult the Form of the PhD Dissertation for specifics on formatting your dissertation.  We recommend reviewing this sample dissertation  and the Top Ten Common Errors provided by the Registrar's Office.

Additional Templates via GitHub

  • Dissertate - scroll down for Harvard
  • Harvard GSAS  

Related Links

  • Dissertations: a guide to preparing and submitting your dissertation - GSAS
  • PhD Degree Requirements - SEAS
  • Additional resources are available through the GSAS Center for Writing and Communicating Ideas and the Academic Ressource Center.
  • GSAS also provides assistance to students seeking dissertation completion fellowships via the Fellowships Office.
  • << Previous: Sync with Reference Managers
  • Next: Publish >>
  • Last Updated: Apr 22, 2022 11:08 AM
  • URL: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/overleaf

Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy

What's in a Thesis Exposé?

When I accept to supervise a thesis (be it a Bachelor, Master, or Doctoral Thesis), I will ask the candidate to produce, as the first milestone in the project, an exposé of his or her thesis. Its size and the time available for producing it differ for the three types of theses: For a Bachelor thesis, it should be available about 2-3 weeks after the formal thesis start; for a Master thesis after 1 month; for a Doctoral thesis after 3 months. However, the idea and structure are equal in all three cases.

A thesis is a one-person research project, and think of the exposé as a project plan. It needs to answer the questions: What is the goal of the project? Where does it start from? Why bother? What is the plan to run it in time? In terms of a research project and a thesis exposé, this leads, more sternly, to the sections:

Have you ever seen in a supermarket a bottle with the label saying “Bottle”? A can called “Can”? Yet, many students decide to call their theses exposé “Exposé”. That makes no sense – “Exposé” could be or appear in the subtitle, but the title should be the working(!) title of your planned thesis. Working title means it may well change in wording and/or detail while you are working on the subject for your thesis later until thesis submission, but it should reflect clearly the main goal and/or contribution of the planned thesis. Please don’t forget to put your name on the exposé as the author!

Describe the goal of your work. This may concern an analytical result (e.g., proving that P $\neq$ NP), or an empirical one (e.g., examine the performance of the HAYAI algorithm on gravel paths), or a constructive one (e.g., a new algorithm for stereo matching of images taken in complete darkness), or – most frequently for an Informatics thesis – a combination of the three (e.g., a new 3D scan matching algorithm running in O(log log n) and its evaluation in a botanical garden). Normally, the title of the thesis would reflect the goal.

Scientific and/or technological background

Give a sketch of the state of the art that your thesis sets out to improve. In an exposé, the sketch has to be very short and to the point, mentioning exactly the top most relevant papers. For a university thesis, the background includes stating which local equipment and results you will use, if any (e.g., a robot running the HAYAI algorithm).

If you have absolutely no idea where to start in order to reach your goal, you will probably not make it in time for thesis submission. State here where you will start working. In many cases (typically in Bachelor theses, often in Master theses), a particular approach is enforced as part of the thesis topic that you get.

Expected scientific and/or technological contribution

State briefly in what respect you expect your result to be significant. It should somehow improve on the state of the art, or provide new empirical data, or lead to a result that was never there before.

Work program

Break down your thesis project into smaller steps and make a schedule what you plan to do in which order and in what time. Plan in the order of weeks and months rather than days. If possible and useful, formulate milestones, i.e., important intermediate results. Plan the immediate future in more detail than the distant one. Don’t plan for doing all the technical work first, and writing everything down from scratch in the last three weeks: That will almost never work out! Plan to interleave the reading/thinking/programming/experimenting and the writing.

The author of the exposé is the candidate, i.e., you! Why?: Your thesis supervisors have normally an idea of the thesis topic that they give to you. Your formulation in the exposé shall make sure that you have the same understanding of what you are supposed to work on. Moreover, much of the exposé text may in fact go into your final thesis: a typical introduction shares much of the material with your exposé, and you should have written that yourself.

Be prepared, however, to adjust your topic while working on it! In fact, this is the norm rather than the exception, which leads to the final remark about the exposé: This is a plan for your thesis work, and, like all plans in life, is subject to revision in detail! Don’t hesitate to change details of what your exposé says, if it turns out to be necessary. However, do hesitate to change significantly the topic and approach of your thesis that you have described in your exposé – before you do that, consult your instructors!

  • eSignatures
  • Product updates
  • Document templates

How to nail your PhD proposal and get accepted

Bethany Fagan

Bethany Fagan Head of Content Marketing at PandaDoc

Reviewed by:

Olga Asheychik

Olga Asheychik Senior Web Analytics Manager at PandaDoc

  • Copy Link Link copied

A good PhD research proposal may be the deciding factor between acceptance and approval into your desired program or finding yourself back at the drawing board. Being accepted for a PhD placement is no easy task, and this is why your PhD proposal needs to truly stand out among a sea of submissions.

That’s why a PhD research proposal is important: It formally outlines the intended research, including methodology, timeline, feasibility, and many other factors that need to be taken into consideration.

Here is a closer look at the PhD proposal process and what it should look like.

→DOWNLOAD NOW: FREE PHD PROPOSAL TEMPLATE

Key takeaways

  • A PhD proposal summarizes the research project you intend to conduct as part of your PhD program.
  • These proposals are relatively short (1000-2000 words), and should include all basic information and project goals, including the methodologies/strategies you intend to use in order to accomplish them.
  • Formats are varied. You may be able to create your own formats, but your college or university may have a required document structure that you should follow.

What is a PhD proposal?

In short, a PhD research proposal is a summary of the project you intend to undertake as part of your PhD program.

It should pose a specific question or idea, make a case for the research, and explain the predicted outcomes of that research.

However, while your PhD proposal may predict expected outcomes, it won’t fully answer your questions for the reader.

Your research into the topic will provide that answer.

Usually, a PhD proposal contains the following elements:

  • A clear question that you intend to answer through copious amounts of study and research.
  • Your plan to answer that question, including any methodologies, frameworks, and resources required to adequately find the answer.
  • Why your question or project is significant to your specific field of study.
  • How your proposal impacts, challenges, or improves the existing body of knowledge around a given topic.
  • Why your work is important and why you should be the one to receive this opportunity.

In terms of length when writing a PhD proposal, there isn’t a universal answer.

Some institutions will require a short, concise proposal (1000 words), while others allow for a greater amount of flexibility in the length and format of the proposal.

Fortunately, most institutions will provide some guidelines regarding the format and length of your research proposal, so you should have a strong idea of your requirements before you begin.

Benefits of a strong PhD application

While the most obvious benefit of having a strong PhD application is being accepted to the PhD program , there are other reasons to build the strongest PhD application you can:

Better funding opportunities

Many PhD programs offer funding to students , which can be used to cover tuition fees and may provide a stipend for living expenses.

The stronger your PhD application, the better your chances of being offered funding opportunities that can alleviate financial burdens and allow you to focus on your research.

Enhanced academic credentials

A strong PhD application, particularly in hot-button areas of study, can lead to better career opportunities in academics or across a variety of industries.

Opportunities for networking and research

Research proposals that are very well grounded can provide footholds to networking opportunities and mentorships that would not be otherwise available.

However, creating an incredible proposal isn’t always easy.

In fact, it’s easy to get confused by the process since it requires a lot of procedural information.

Many institutions also place a heavy emphasis on using the correct proposal structure.

That doesn’t have to be the issue, though.

Often, pre-designed templates, like the PandaDoc research proposal templates or PhD proposal templates provided by the institution of your choice, can do most of the heavy lifting for you.

expose phd

Research Proposal Template

Used 7990 times

4.3 rating (24 reviews)

Reviewed by Olga Asheychik

How to write a Phd proposal with a clear structure

We know that the prospect of writing a research proposal for PhD admission may appear the stuff of nightmares. Even more so if you are new to producing a piece such as this.

But, when you get down to the nitty gritty of what it is, it really isn’t so intimidating. When writing your PhD proposal you need to show that your PhD is worth it, achievable, and that you have the ability to do it at your chosen university.

With all of that in mind, let’s take a closer look at each section of a standard PhD research proposal and the overall structure.

1. Front matter

The first pages of your PhD proposal should outline the basic information about the project. That will include each of the following:

Project title

Typically placed on the first page, your title should be engaging enough to attract attention and clear enough that readers will understand what you’re trying to achieve.

Many proposals also include a secondary headline to further (concisely) clarify the main concept.

Contact information

Depending on the instructions provided by your institution, you may need to include your basic contact information with your proposal.

Some institutions may ask for blind submissions and ask that you omit identifying information, so check the program guidelines to be sure.

Research supervisor

If you already have a supervisor for the project, you’ll typically want to list that information.

Someone who is established in the field can add credibility to your proposal, particularly if your project requires extensive funding or has special considerations.

The guidelines from your PhD program should provide some guidance regarding any other auxiliary information that you should add to the front of your proposal.

Be sure to check all documentation to ensure that everything fits into the designated format.

2. Goals, summaries, and objectives

Once you’ve added the basic information to your document, you’ll need to get into the meat of your PhD proposal.

Depending on your institution, your research proposal may need to follow a rigid format or you may have the flexibility to add various sections and fully explain your concepts.

These sections will primarily be focused on providing high-level overviews surrounding your PhD proposal, including most of the following:

Overall aims, objectives, and goals

In these sections, you’ll need to state plainly what you aim to accomplish with your PhD research.

If awarded funding, what questions will your PHd proposal seek to answer? What theories will you test? What concepts will you explore in your research?

Briefly, how would you summarize your approach to this project?

Provide high-level summaries detailing how you mean to achieve your answers, what the predicted outcomes of your PhD research might be, and precisely what you intend to test or discover.

Significance

Why does your research matter? Unlike with many other forms of academic study (such as a master’s thesis ), doctorate-level research often pushes the bounds of specific fields or contributes to a given body of work in some unique way.

How will your proposed PhD research do those things?

Background details

Because PhD research is about pushing boundaries, adding background context regarding the current state of affairs in your given field can help readers better understand why you want to pursue this research and how you arrived at this specific point of interest.

While the information here may (or may not) be broken into multiple sections, the content here is largely designed to provide a high-level overview of your PhD proposal and entice readers to dig deeper into the methodologies and angles of approach in future sections.

Because so much of this section relies on the remainder of your document, it’s sometimes better to skip this portion of the PhD proposal until the later sections are complete and then circle back to it.

That way, you can provide concise summaries that refer to fully defined research methods that you’ve already explained in subsequent areas.

3. Methodologies and plans

Unlike a master’s thesis or a similar academic document, PhD research is designed to push the boundaries of its subject matter in some way.

The idea behind doctoral research is to expand the field with new insights and viewpoints that are the culmination of years of research and study, combined with a deep familiarity of the topic at hand.

The methodologies and work plans you provide will give advisors some insights into how you plan to conduct your research.

While there is no one right way to develop this section, you’ll need to include a few key details:

Research methods

Are there specific research methods you plan to use to conduct your PhD research?

Are you conducting experiments? Conducting qualitative research? Surveying specific individuals in a given environment?

Benefits and drawbacks of your approach

Regardless of your approach to your topic, there will be upsides and downsides to that methodology.

Explain what you feel are the primary benefits to your research method, where there are potential flaws, and how you plan to account for those shortfalls.

Choice of methodology

Why did you choose a given methodology?

What makes it the best method (or collection of methods) for your research and/or specific use case?

Outline of proposed work

What work is required for PhD research to be complete?

What steps will you need to take in order to capture the appropriate information? How will you complete those steps?

Schedule of work (including timelines/deadlines)

How long will it take you to complete each stage or step of your project?

If your PhDproject will take several years, you may need to provide specifics for more immediate timelines up front while future deadlines may be flexible or estimated.

There is some flexibility here.

It’s unlikely that your advisors will expect you to have the answer for every question regarding how you plan to approach your body of research.

When trying to push the boundaries of any given topic, it’s expected that some things may not go to plan.

However, you should do your best to make timelines and schedules of work that are consistent with your listed goals.

Remember : At the end of your work, you are expected to have a body of original research that is complete within the scope and limitations of the PhD proposal you set forth.

If your advisors feel that your subject matter is too broad, they may encourage you to narrow the scope to better fit into more standardized expectations.

4. Resources and citations

No PhD research proposal is complete without a full list of the resources required to carry out the project and references to help prove and validate the research.

Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need to submit in order to explain costs and prove the validity of your proposal:

Estimated costs and resources

Most doctoral programs offer some level of funding for these projects.

To take advantage of those funds, you’ll need to submit a budget of estimated costs so that assessors can better understand the financial requirements.

This might include equipment, expenses for fieldwork or travel, and more.

Citations and bibliographies

No matter your field of study, doctoral research is built on the data and observations provided by past contributors.

Because of this, you’ll need to provide citations and sources referenced in your PhD proposal documentation.

Particularly when it comes to finances and funding, it might be tempting to downplay the cost of the project.

However, it’s best to provide a realistic estimate in terms of costs so that you have enough of a budget to cover the PhD research.

Adjustments can be made at a later date, particularly as you conduct more research and dive further into the project.

Resources are often presented in the form of a table to make things easier to track and identify.

Item Qty. Cost Subtotal Total
Project Allowance
Translator 3 months $500 $1,500
Transportation within state 3 months $400 $1,200
Interview software 1 month $30 $30
Recording equipment 1 $2,400 $2,400
Rent (Nigeria) 3 months $400 $1,200
Groceries (Nigeria) 3 months $500 $1,500
$8,100
Jet Travel
San Diego – Nigeria (roundtrip) 6 $600 $3,600 $3,600
Total Project Allowance $11,700
Administrative fees $240
Total Resources $11,940

Using PhD proposal templates

Aside from any guidelines set forth by your institution, there are no particularly strict rules when it comes to the format of PhD proposals.

Your supervisor will be more than capable of guiding you through the process.

However, since everything is so structured and formal, you might want to use a PhD proposal template to help you get started.

Templates can help you stay on track and make sure your research proposal follows a certain logic.

A lot of proposal software solutions offer templates for different types of proposals, including PhD proposals.

But, should you use Phd proposal templates? Here are some pros and cons to help you make a decision.

  • Expedites the proposal process.
  • Helps you jumpstart the process with a flexible document structure.
  • Often provides sections with pre-filled examples.
  • Looks better than your average Word document.
  • May be limiting if you adhere to it too much.
  • Might not be perfectly suited to your specific field of research, requiring some customization.

In our PhD research proposal template , we give you just enough direction to help you follow through but we don’t limit your creativity to a point that you can’t express yourself and all the nuances of your research.

For almost all sections, you get a few useful PhD research proposal examples to point you in the right direction.

The template provides you with a typical PhD proposal structure that’s perfect for almost all disciplines.

It can come in quite handy when you have everything planned out in your head but you’re just having trouble putting it onto the page!

Writing a PhD proposal that convinces

Writing and completing a PhD proposal might be confusing at first.

You need to follow a certain logic and share all the required information without going too long or sharing too much about the project.

And, while your supervisor will certainly be there to guide you, the brunt of the work will still fall on your shoulders.

That’s why you need to stay informed, do your research, and don’t give up until you feel comfortable with what you’ve created.

If you want to get a head start, you might want to consider our research proposal template .

It will offer you a structure to follow when writing a PhD proposal and give you an idea on what to write in each section.

Start your 14 days trial with PandaDoc and check out all the tools you’ll have at your disposal!

Research proposals for PhD admission: tips and advice

One of the most important tips for any piece of writing is to know your audience. The staff reviewing your PhD proposal are going through a pile of them, so you need to make sure yours stands within a few seconds of opening it.

The way to do this is by demonstrating value and impact. Academic work is often written for a niche community of researchers in one field, so you need to demonstrate why your work would be valuable to people in that area.

The people reviewing your proposal will likely be in that field. So your proposal should be a little like a sales pitch: you need to write something engaging that identifies with the “customer”, speaks to a problem they’re having, and shows them a solution.

Taking some inspiration from the former University of Chicago professor Larry McEnerney , here are some ideas to keep in mind…

  • It’s common for undergraduates and even seasoned academics to write in a specific format or style to demonstrate their understanding and signal that they’re part of the academic community. Instead, you want to write in such a way that actually engages the reader.
  • Identify an uncharted or underexplored knowledge gap in your field, and show the reader you have what it takes to fill in that gap.
  • Challenge the status quo. Set up an idea that people in your field take for granted — maybe a famous study you think is flawed — and outline how your project could knock it down.
  • This is why it’s important to understand who your audience is. You have to write your proposal in such a way that it’s valuable for reviewers. But within your proposal, you should also clearly define which community of researchers your project is for, what problems they have, and how your project is going to solve those problems.
  • Every community of researchers has their own implicit “codes” and “keywords” that signal understanding. These will be very different in each field and could be very subtle. But just by reading successful PhD research proposal examples in your field, you can get a sense of what those are and decide how you want to employ them in your own work.
  • In this model authors start “at the bottom of the glass” with a very narrow introduction to the idea of the paper, then “fill the glass” with a broader and broader version of the same idea.
  • Instead, follow a “problem-solution” framework. Introduce a problem that’s relevant to your intended reader, then offer a solution. Since “solutions” often raise their own new problems or questions, you can rinse and repeat this framework all the way through any section of your proposal.

But how can you apply that advice? If you’re following something like our research proposal template , here are some actionable ways to get started.

  • Your title should be eye-catching , and signal value by speaking to either a gap in the field or challenging the status quo.
  • Your abstract should speak to a problem in the field, one the reviewers will care about, and clearly outline how you’d like to solve it.
  • When you list the objectives of your proposal , each one should repeat this problem-solution framework. You should concretely state what you want to achieve, and what you’re going to do to achieve it.
  • While you survey your chosen field in the literature review, you should refer back to the knowledge gap or status quo that you intend to work on. This reinforces how important your proposed project is, and how valuable it would be to the community if your project was successful.
  • While listing your research limitations , try to hint at new territory researchers might be able to explore off the back of your work. This illustrates that you’re proposing boundary-pushing work that will really advance knowledge of the field.
  • While you’re outlining your funding requirements , be clear about why each line item is necessary and bring it back to the value of your proposed research. Every cent counts!

Frequently asked questions

How long should a phd proposal be.

There really isn’t a specific rule when it comes to the length of a PhD proposal. However, it’s generally accepted that it should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words.

It’s difficult to elaborate on such a serious project in less than 1,000 words but going over 2,000 is often overkill. You’ll lose people’s attention and water down your points.

What’s the difference between a dissertation proposal and a PhD proposal?

There seems to be some confusion over the terms “dissertation” and “PhD” and how you write proposals for each one. However, “dissertation” is just another name for your PhD research so the proposal for a dissertation would be the same since it’s quite literally the same thing.

Does a PhD proposal include budgeting?

Yes, as mentioned, you need to demonstrate the feasibility of your project within the given time frame and with the resources you need, including budgets. You don’t need to be exact, but you need to have accurate estimates for everything.

How is a PhD proposal evaluated?

This will change from one institution to another but these things will generally have a big impact on the reviewers:

  • The contribution of the project to the field.
  • Design and feasibility of the project.
  • The validity of the methodology and objectives.
  • The supervisor and their role in the field.

PandaDoc is not a law firm, or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. This page is not intended to and does not provide legal advice. Should you have legal questions on the validity of e-signatures or digital signatures and the enforceability thereof, please consult with an attorney or law firm. Use of PandaDocs’ services are governed by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Originally published June 9, 2023, updated February 6, 2024

Related articles

How to write a business proposal (The modern way)

Proposals 24 min

Five tips for building trust in sales

Sales 5 min

How to write an executive summary

Document templates 13 min

The PhD Proofreaders

How To Structure A PhD With Our PhD Writing Template

Feb 9, 2019

expose phd

  • Introduction

Our   PhD Writing Template   is a way to visualise every element of your PhD on one page.  Once you have filled it in you will have an overview of each section of the thesis and an executive summary of the thesis as a whole. It’ll show you how to write a PhD. If you haven’t already download it for free now and then come back to this post. 

What is the PhD Writing Template?

The PhD Writing Template is a   way for you to visualise your PhD on one page.   It guides you through creating a   synopsis for each chapter   and an overall   outline of the thesis   using simple questions to structure and guide your thinking.  If you haven’t already download it for free now .

  • Acknowledgements
  • Literature review
  • Theoretical framework
  • Methodology
  • Empirical chapters
  • Discussion chapters

How do I write a PhD using the template?

It’s simple to use.  First, print it out.

Then, answer each of the questions in each section.

Answer on Post-it notes. One for each box. That way you can change your answers over time.

But aren’t Post-it notes too small? No! Small is good here. It means you have to be clear and concise. If you can’t fit your answers onto a Post-it note, you need to refine them.

To save space, use bullet points, but make sure you carefully think about and respond to each point.

Start with the ‘Aims and Objectives’ box, where you will list down the core headlines of the entire thesis. This is the  big-picture stuff.  You   should have this completed and refined before you move on. Without solid answers to these questions, the thesis will be disjointed and unclear.

Then, work through the boxes one by one. You may want to leave the abstract and acknowledgements to last. You may also want to work on the introduction last. That’s fine. Work in the way that suits you.

As you fill the template in, you will start to see the bigger picture. Each Post-it note will contain a synopsis for that particular element. Together, they can be combined to form an executive summary of the thesis as a whole.

Why do you need the template?

  • All of the elements required in a thesis.
  • Where they fit and how they relate to one another. 

Blog Posts That Can Help You

Hello, doctor….

Sounds good, doesn’t it?  Be able to call yourself Doctor sooner with our five-star rated How to Write A PhD email-course. Learn everything your supervisor should have taught you about planning and completing a PhD.

Now half price. Join hundreds of other students and become a better thesis writer, or your money back. 

Share this:

Dr. Max Lempriere

Hi – sorry to hear you haven’t received it. Have you checked your spam folder? I tried to email it to you again but the email address you left when leaving the comment doesn’t appear to be working.

Subhashini

Thank you so much You are doing a great job by helping PhD students like me to make it less stressful.

Have a great day

Thanks so much.

Ann

Hi, I withdrew from my PhD in the final months and am now planning to return to it and remodel it somewhat. This template will be really useful for restructuring what I already have and planning what I need to work on. Thank-you!

nznative

Gave my email to get template. No template. *sigh

Hi – I’ve just checked on our end and all the emails were sent out. They may be sitting in a spam folder. Get in touch if you’re still without them. [email protected]

Gerrard W Allen

This looks like it’s going to save my life. Let’s see!!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

expose phd

Search The PhD Knowledge Base

Most popular articles from the phd knowlege base.

Eureka! When I learnt how to write a theoretical framework

The PhD Knowledge Base Categories

  • Your PhD and Covid
  • Mastering your theory and literature review chapters
  • How to structure and write every chapter of the PhD
  • How to stay motivated and productive
  • Techniques to improve your writing and fluency
  • Advice on maintaining good mental health
  • Resources designed for non-native English speakers
  • PhD Writing Template
  • Explore our back-catalogue of motivational advice

CampusJames

Thesis Exposé schreiben

Writing Thesis Exposé – Professional Tips + Examples

What is a Thesis Exposé, do I need it for my Thesis and what should I pay attention to? Here are the guidelines for the exposé of your thesis.

How do I find the right thesis topic?

Your thesis will take some time to complete. Therefore, you should choose a topic for your thesis that at least interests you, and better yet, excites you. Something you’re passionate about and feel like really diving into. Ideally, and to simplify your thesis, you also have some prior knowledge of the topic. This can also benefit you at the latest when you defend your thesis.

The topic of your thesis is either given to you by your professor, or you can choose it yourself. It just has to have something to do with your field of study. First of all, you should look into the exact requirements of your study program and find out whether a scientific or practice-oriented focus should be implemented and whether there are any specifications regarding the scope of your thesis.

Ask your professor

In almost every university you can go to a consultation with your professor. There you can roughly explain which topics you are also involved with outside of your studies. Together with your professor, find a connection to your studies and work out a topic.

Current literature

Are there any recent publications in your field , perhaps? Check the optional seminar reading or the journals in your library. You can find many current sources on Google Scholar or other online databases , for example.

Brainstorming

Write down any ideas, experiences, and anything else that comes to mind. Under each topic, you can collect bullet points and write down what you already know about it and how much the topic interests you.

Past seminar papers

Maybe you’ve already written a cool term paper and can tie in with the research? Are there any questions that are still unanswered from your point of view? Were there any lecture topics that particularly interested you?

Exchange ideas with other fellow students

Meet and interact with your fellow students . Often the thoughts of others already bring you to a good topic. In the same way, of course, you can ask friends and family who are not experts.

Professional direction

Do you already know what you want to do for a living after graduation? Then it would be beneficial to write your paper on a topic from the industry that might interest and impress your future employer .

Your already gained experience

Your experience as an intern or working student can help you in choosing a topic. Ask leaders or staff and get inspired.

Why write a synopsis?

One of the most important parts of your thesis is the exposé. But why actually? The synopsis is a scientific project plan that helps you to formulate the research question precisely, to narrow down your topic, and to give you a structured overview of the content and schedule of your work.

The synopsis should serve as a guideline before the actual writing of your thesis. Often the exposé is required by your supervisor after you have chosen your topic and possibly already dealt with the problem or question.

However, the exposé is not binding. Because your ideas, structures or even your title can always change during the writing process of your thesis. Especially in the beginning, the synopsis can help you sort out your thoughts and ideas.

An exposé has many advantages. It helps you get an overview of your ideas and organize them. Also, you can impress your supervisor with the fact that you have studied the topic and it is relevant. Best of all, it can save you a lot of time writing later. It also serves as a basis for discussions with your supervisor to avoid misunderstandings and to comply with university guidelines.

The contents of an exposé for your thesis

So now we know that the synopsis is an outline of your planned scientific work. But what actually belongs in the exposé and how is it structured?

Here you write a brief introduction and presentation of your research topic and justify its relevance.

Objective and state of knowledge

At this point, you describe what you want to have found out at the end of your research project and why.

State of research and theoretical basis

Now you give a small overview of the existing literature and a theoretical basis for your research.

Research concept

Your concept is the most important element in your synopsis. At this point you present your hypothesis , your research question and also your methodology .

Preliminary outline

Then, even if your outline is not final, you can structure and list your ideas.

This is where you tabulate your schedule .

Bibliography

Last, show your correctly cited review of your sources used and literature relevant to you.

What do I have to pay attention to in the exposé for my thesis?

It is important for your exposé to clearly formulate your topic, the research question and the objective . Make sure you have a concise and appropriate working title and that your timeline and deadlines are set. It is also important to make sure that you adhere to the appropriate criteria of your university with your cover page and document formatting.

Frequently asked questions about: Thesis Exposé

Das Exposé sollte im Schnitt 2–5 Seiten lang sein. Ganz unabhängig, ob du nun ein Exposé für deine Bachelorarbeit, Masterarbeit oder Dissertation schreibst.

Das  Exposé  ist ein vorläufiger Plan für deine Thesis. Darum müssen hier alle wesentlichen Informationen enthalten sein, die für deine Arbeit später von Bedeutung sind. Dazu gehören neben einer Zusammenfassung der Fragestellung und des Hauptteils, auch eine Gliederung und ein Zeitplan.

Dei Expose sollte nicht länger als 3-4 Seiten, maximal 5 Seiten lang sein.

Edited at: December 7, 2022

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 1

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

  • Deutsch ( German )

Kostenlose Rechtschreibprüfung

Kostenlose plagiatsprüfung, korrektur deiner dissertation.

  • Wissensdatenbank
  • Dissertation und Doktorarbeit
  • Das Exposé für die Dissertation mit Beispielen

Das Exposé für die Dissertation: Aufbau & Beispielen

Veröffentlicht am 23. November 2018 von Priska Flandorfer . Aktualisiert am 27. März 2023.

Ein Exposé ist eine Zusammenfassung über das Forschungsvorhaben deiner Dissertation .

Scribbrs kostenlose Rechtschreibprüfung

Fehler kostenlos beheben

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Das exposé als grundlage für die dissertation, umfang des exposés, tipps zum schreiben des exposés.

Aufbau und Gliederung eines Exposés

Exposé Dissertationen Beispiel

Betrachte das Exposé als Fahrplan mit allen Stationen, die dich während des Schreibens der Dissertation erwarten.

Warum ist das Exposé für die Dissertation so wichtig?

  • Je nach Promotionsordnung deiner Fakultät brauchst du ein Exposé im Rahmen der Bewerbung für ein Doktoratsstudium.
  • Du benötigst ein Exposé, wenn du dich für Stipendien, strukturierte Promotionsprogramme oder eine interne Promotion bewerben willst.
  • Damit mögliche Betreuende dich als Doktorand akzeptieren, müssen sie vorher genau über dein Thema, das du im Rahmen des Exposés beschreibst, Bescheid wissen.
  • Durch eine realistische Zeitplanung weißt du im Vorhinein, wie lange du für Teilbereiche deiner Dissertation brauchen wirst.

Wusstest du schon, dass ...

Scribbr durchschnittlich 150 Fehler pro 1000 Wörter korrigiert?

Unsere Sprachexperten verbessern vor Abgabe deiner Abschlussarbeit den akademischen Ausdruck, die Interpunktion und sprachliche Fehler.

Erfahre mehr zur Korrektur

Der Umfang eines Exposés für die Dissertation liegt bei 5 bis 20 Seiten . Da die Dissertation je nach Fachgebiet 50 – 400 Seiten umfasst, wird auch das Exposé entsprechend lang sein.

Du solltest den Inhalt ausführlich, aber auch klar und prägnant darstellen können. Das Exposé sollte daher einen Umfang von 20 Seiten nicht überschreiten.

Folgende Tipps helfen dir beim Schreiben des Exposés:

  • Dein Thema, die Fragestellung und das Ziel deiner Dissertation werden im Exposé erörtert.
  • Nimm dir genug Zeit für das Exposé, denn es ist die Grundlage deiner Dissertation.
  • Deine Dissertation muss zu neuen Forschungserkenntnissen führen. Beschreibe daher die Forschungslücke, die deine Dissertation schließen wird, ganz genau.
  • Überlege dir, mit welchen Methoden du deine Forschungsfrage beantworten kannst.
  • Schätze alle Arbeitsschritte deiner Dissertation realistisch ab und erstelle einen genauen Zeitplan .

Der Aufbau eines Exposés für die Dissertation ist nicht immer gleich, folgt aber einer gewissen Struktur, die wir dir anhand einer möglichen Gliederung erklären.

Wir haben einen ausführlichen Artikel mit Beispielen zum Aufbau und zur Gliederung des Exposés erstellt:

  • Problemstellung
  • Stand der Forschung
  • Theoretischer Hintergrund
  • Zielsetzung und Forschungsfragen
  • Forschungsdesign und Methodik
  • Zeit- und Arbeitsplan
  • Literaturverzeichnis
Beispiel Geisteswissenschaft Beispiel Medizin
Titel
Autor Jennifer Schilitz Antonia Stieger
Uni Freie Universität Berlin Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Ziel Relevanz der Erkenntnisse zur Funktionsweise des Gehirns für die Vorbereitung auf Inhalte der schriftlichen Abiturprüfung in Englisch. Zusammenhang zwischen Wirbelsäulenschmerz, Wirbelsäulenstatik und Wirbelsäulenbeweglichkeit mit dem Sturzrisiko bei Osteoporosepatienten.
Methodik Durchführung von Experimenten mit zwei elften Klassen Untersuchungen bei Osteoporosepatienten

Diesen Scribbr-Artikel zitieren

Wenn du diese Quelle zitieren möchtest, kannst du die Quellenangabe kopieren und einfügen oder auf die Schaltfläche „Diesen Artikel zitieren“ klicken, um die Quellenangabe automatisch zu unserem kostenlosen Zitier-Generator hinzuzufügen.

Flandorfer, P. (2023, 27. März). Das Exposé für die Dissertation: Aufbau & Beispielen. Scribbr. Abgerufen am 30. Juli 2024, von https://www.scribbr.de/dissertation-doktorarbeit/expose/

Blogverzeichnis - Bloggerei.de

War dieser Artikel hilfreich?

Priska Flandorfer

Priska Flandorfer

Das hat anderen studierenden noch gefallen, aufbau und gliederung für das exposé deiner dissertation, doktorvater und doktormutter deiner dissertation, der weg zum doktor führt über die promotion, aus versehen plagiiert finde kostenlos heraus.

expose phd

Breast-groping disgraced China professor fired after PhD student exposes him as sexual predator

  • Police in Beijing launch probe into liberal arts professor who demanded sex from student, blocked her graduation when she rejected him

Fran Lu

A professor at the prestigious Renmin University of China has been dismissed after one of his PhD students exposed him online as a sexual predator.

Wang Guiyuan, 65, a professor at the School of Liberal Arts, was accused online of sexually harassing his student, Wang Di, and threatening to block her graduation after she firmly rejected his advances.

On July 21, Wang posted a one-hour-long video with herself holding her ID card to report her tutor’s behaviour, backed up by evidence such as voice recordings.

Wang said she was forced to expose the academic because he made her work 18 hours a day doing his chores, and left her with no time to work on her own graduation dissertation, which was due in December.

At one point, Wang said, she begged the academic to let her graduate and received a chilling response.

expose phd

“What kind of student are you, not doing a little favour for your tutor? You wait and see,” the academic said, calling her graduation a “joke”.

In China, tutors have a big say over whether or not a PhD student graduates.

The student said the demanding tasks and harsh comments from Wang Guiyuan had lasted for two years. All of them were the result of her rejection of his request for sex, she said.

In May 2022, Wang Guiyuan invited her to his office to discuss “academic questions”.

When she arrived, he took off his shirt and asked her if “my body looks fit”, then he asked to kiss and touch her before demanding sex.

Wang said she had inflammation of the lips which could not be irritated. Knowing that fact, professor Wang asked to kiss her, then groped her breast.

The academic had previously asked to be “father and daughter” with her.

In fear of irritating him, Wang said she agreed to this request.

She said she tried to use this relationship to help rebuff his sexual advances, but the professor hinted that he could be her “sugar daddy”.

Wang Guiyuan also tried to entice her with “precious academic materials”, saying he would only show them to special people.

Wang Di kept saying no, while still remaining polite in the recorded conversations.

Renmin University reacted to the young woman’s video within 24 hours.

expose phd

On July 22, it said it had confirmed her report and decided to fire him, strip him of his professor title and qualification to tutor graduate students.

The academic has also been expelled from the Communist Party of China.

The university added that it will also pass the information and materials relating to the case to “relevant institutions”.

Later the same day, Beijing police said they had begun investigating the case.

According to China’s Criminal Law, molesting a woman by violence or coercion can be punished with a jail term of up to five years.

The Post reached out to Wang Guiyuan but has not received a response.

More From Forbes

New exclusive photos expose apple’s iphone 16 pro.

  • Share to Facebook
  • Share to Twitter
  • Share to Linkedin

Updated August 1 with new bronze color discussion .

As the launch of Apple’s new iPhone 16 family of smartphones draws closer, new photos of the iFab Four have been published, exposing the key design changes of the next iOS-powered phones.

Longtime Apple leaker Sonny Dickson is behind the latest scoop, releasing exclusive images that lay bare the four new iPhones with the new design, elements, and principles all on show. Apple is expected to launch the iPhones in early September , but we can see many of the new hardware features today.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro dummy units

Dickson’s models are late-stage dummy samples, generally used for product shots and allowing third-party accessory manufacturers to test fit and function of their products on final designs supplied by Apple sans the internal circuitry and software.

First up are the new iPhone 16 Pro models. Three colors are on show, and they can best be described as the standards that match last year's White Titanium, Black Titanium, and Natural Titanium. 2023 also saw a Blue Titanium color; this isn't shown in the images provided by Dickson, but I would expect new colors to help boost sales as people look for a fashionable choice.

The iPhone 16 colors include regular white and black, but pink, blue and green are also added to the mix. These are deep colors, but subtle in tone.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

Update: Thursday August 1 . Alongside the three colors Sonny Dickson has on show, a potential fourth option for the iPhone 16 Pro has surfaced. The team at MacRumors are reporting on a bronze look for the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.

Adding to the color mix, long-time Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has noted the iPhone 16 Pro family will come in four colors; black, white/silver, grey/natural titanium, and rose.

The artistic names used for smartphone colors throughout the years have been more for guidance than the actual pallet; the preponderance of rose and rose gold iPhones that, to all intents and purposes, would be called pink is a classic example. Given Kuo’s information, we likely have a fourth color in addition to those on show here.

Otherwise, we’ll have to take a leap of faith from the silvery colour in our exclusive images to call it Titanium Bronze.

A rose-gold Apple iPhone 6S smartphone, taken on September 29, 2015. (Photo by Joseph ... [+] Branston/MacFormat Magazine/Future via Getty Images)

Apple updated the camera lens layout for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, switching the ultrawide and the telephoto lenses to allow for stereoscopic video to be recorded when the phone is held in landscape mode; videos that could be watched on the Apple Vision Pro’s spatial video playback system to offer a 3D immersive experience. This layout carries over to the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro max, continuing the relationship of iOS and visionOS.

It’s the turn of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to see the rearranged lenses. The stacking of the two lenses vertically can be seen, allowing the same spatial video recording for the Vision Pro headset.

You can also see the new capture button on the spine of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro handsets. This complements the programmable action button that debuted on last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and is expected to offer a two-stage shutter button that allows a focus lock to be held before taking the picture. Until we see this in action with final software, the exact methodology will remain unclear.

In addition, the iPhone 16 will add the action button to the mix; it did not feature on last year’s iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models.

What isn’t on show in these images is the new software that will be bundled with iOS 18. Developer previews are available now, so it is possible to get a taste of Apple’s plans for iOS 18, including the first steps of generative AI and how it will be implemented on the iPhone .

Appl traditionally launches the new iPhone on the second Tuesday of September, which this year puts the provisional launch date as Tuesday September 10.

Now read the latest iPhone, iPad, and Mac headlines in Forbes’ weekly Apple Loop news digest...

Ewan Spence

  • Editorial Standards
  • Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

  • False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
  • Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
  • Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
  • Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

  • Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
  • Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
  • Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
  • Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

  • Stay on topic and share your insights
  • Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
  • ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
  • Protect your community.
  • Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

Biases in AI chatbots pose a risk to my real-time translation startup. Diversity and inclusion help us fight them

Heather Shoemaker is the founder and CEO of  Language I/O , an AI-powered platform that helps companies support their customers in their native language with their existing team.

Heather Shoemaker, CEO of Language I/O

OpenAI’s technology development team consists of just 18% women . In a recent YouTube video announcement debuting the company’s ChatGPT-4o update—a “new flagship model which can reason across audio, vision, and text in real time”—the AI’s voice was that of a coy-sounding woman fawning over the man interacting with “her,” complimenting his outfit and giggling seductively. In short, the ultra-agreeable AI voice sounded flirty .

If more women had been involved in the AI’s development, the voice would likely have taken on a different persona—one that didn’t double down on outdated stereotypes.

My objective in founding Language I/O, a real-time translation platform, was to connect people through the power of AI—regardless of location, language, or lifestyle. As CEO, I’ve seen firsthand how a lack of diversity within teams can undermine even the most well-intentioned initiatives. A technology is only as good as the team behind it.

A completely homogeneous team risks becoming an echo chamber of limited, like-minded ideas, which will, at best, stifle innovation. At worst, the scarcity of different perspectives can lead to offensive, inappropriate, or outright incorrect solutions, undermining the power technology has to connect us.

Exposing biases in AI chatbots

That’s why I put together our red team—a group of diverse women with a mandate to break our technology. They succeeded in making AI bots curse, flirt, hallucinate, and insult, despite the standard industry guardrails.

But it’s not just gender biases that push through into chatbot outputs. Large language models (LLMs) can also have racial, cultural, and sexual-orientation biases, among others. It’s not surprising when you look at the corpus these models are trained on. User-generated content that’s publicly available on the internet is full of biases that lead to biased outputs.

Since our platform leverages AI-powered LLMs—and upcoming releases will include stand-alone, multilingual bots—finding a solution to this problem became a top priority for me. To build the guardrails necessary to keep the chatbots in line, we needed to figure out just how the chatbots could be made to go off the rails. Enter our red team.

While the concept of an AI red team is still fairly new, their goals are evergreen: help improve a technology through exhaustive and creative testing. When I first put out the call to all our interns about this project, four women from varied backgrounds volunteered and immediately got to work figuring out how to “break” our LLM. Once it was broken, we sent that information back to our development team so they could implement appropriate safeguards to prevent the AI from producing such outputs again.

With creative prompts, the red team quickly got the chatbot to do everything from promise fake discounts to swear profusely to talk shockingly dirty. They were not limited to exposing offensive tendencies. One team member convinced the chatbot, which was supposed to be responding to questions about a media streaming service, to apologize for the level of ripeness of a banana.

More valuable was that the multilingual team members identified potential pitfalls in cross-language communications, exposed biases stemming from male-dominated data sources, and flagged gender stereotypes embedded in AI personalities. Their varied backgrounds helped the team spot issues that often go undetected by less diverse groups.

Since we leverage AI for real-time translations into over 150 languages, we also have multilingual employees constantly testing our bot. Multilingual testing is especially important because the underlying protections in major LLMs are so focused on English. Our process is designed to ensure equality and quality across all the languages our bots support.

More ethical AI

As AI becomes more ubiquitous, brands are taking an interest in how models are trained and the ethical considerations behind them. We work closely with a major lingerie retail company, and its top concern is AI ethics. Given the inherent male bias in LLMs today, coupled with the fact that men control this largely female-focused industry, AI-generated output about lingerie is easily skewed. For example, lingerie advertising often focuses on a man’s idea of what lingerie is, which is often about sex. Women, however, want to feel and look good when they wear lingerie. So protecting this company’s brand and its customer experience is something we take seriously—and why we want the red team to push our model and technology.

One of the most interesting tests our team did used different fonts to see how responses changed. In one case, it made the bot swear like a sailor despite being trained not to do so. As a developer, I couldn’t help but admire the creativity of the team. It is only through testing like this that companies know what sort of AI protections are important.

We continuously test and retrain the models so they can adapt to ensure a more equitable interaction with the LLM. For the foreseeable future, the only way to provide AI equity is to prioritize strategies that promote it. That means working with teams that aren’t comprised solely of white men.

Diversity isn’t just a buzzword or a box to check—it’s essential for creating LLMs that work well for everyone. When we bring together people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, we end up with AI that’s more robust, ethical, and capable of serving a global user base. If we want AI that truly benefits humanity, we need to ensure the humans creating it better represent all of humanity.

More reading:

  • AI with hidden biases may be subtly shaping what you think : ‘You may not even know that you are being influenced’
  • AI is already screening job resumes and rental apartment applications and even determining medical care with almost no oversight
  • AI models are coming to fashion to promote diversity —but some industry insiders are concerned it will end up ‘parodying it’
  • As an underrepresented venture fund CEO, I believe in meritocracy—and I invest in underrepresented entrepreneurs for a reason

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of  Fortune .

Latest in Commentary

A recent analysis of CDC data unveiled a worrying rise in the number of young people diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Teens are getting colorectal cancer at unprecedented rates—but a little-known IRA provision is blocking new lifesaving treatments

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks at a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee meeting on July 31. The Federal Reserve held short-term interest rates where they are with broad expectations that the rate with drop in September.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell is trying to explain away the inflation rollercoaster—but money supply is absent from his script

Simone Biles has reaped two gold medals so far at the Paris Olympics and is due to compete in several events over the course of the games.

Simone Biles has really destigmatized mental health leave for millions of women

Mark Zuckerberg is bullish on AI.

Meta, Microsoft, and Google blew blinding amounts of AI smoke during earnings—here’s what we actually learned

Heather Shoemaker, CEO of Language I/O

Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro proves Milton Friedman right, 60 years later

Most popular.

expose phd

Buying 100,000 Teslas continues to haunt Hertz

expose phd

Stocks crash on recession fears as the ‘Fed is seizing defeat from the jaws of victory’

expose phd

Cows, cars, and $1 million in cash: Here are some of the wacky awards countries give their Olympic medalists

expose phd

It’s not 8 glasses a day anymore. Here’s how much water you should drink each day

expose phd

‘Holiday poverty’ is a very real problem for 40 million Europeans—and Ireland, France, and Italy are leading the pack

expose phd

Current price of gold as of August 1, 2024

Sharks found with cocaine in their systems. How did that happen?

Illegal drug-production labs may be releasing substances into the water that could harm Brazilian sharpnose sharks and other marine animals.

A dead brazilian in hand.

It may sound like a B-rated movie plot, but ‘cocaine sharks’ are plying the coastal waters of Rio de Janeiro .

New analysis of Brazilian sharpnose sharks has revealed that the illicit drugs are getting into the ocean and contaminating the fish, a first-of-its-kind discovery.  

For the study, researchers dissected 13 sharks captured accidentally by fishermen between September 2021 and August 2023 in the waters off Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a Rio de Janeiro neighborhood with long, pearly-white beaches.

The team found cocaine and benzoylecgonine—a metabolite produced when cocaine is broken down in the body—in muscle and liver tissues of all 13 fish. (See the surprising ways sharks keep our oceans healthy.)

Pharmaceutical waste, whether it’s legal or illegal, is an understudied problem for wildlife in oceans, rivers, and lakes. Scientists have also detected traces of coke and other illegal drugs near large cities such as London and off Florida’s coast.

It's not yet known how cocaine—a stimulant sourced from coca leaves—could affect the Braziian sharpnose shark, a species the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists as vulnerable to extinction , due mostly to overfishing.

Biologist Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis and ecotoxicologist Enrico Saggioro, both at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute , a federal public health research organization in Rio de Janeiro, noted they did not analyze the sharks’ health in their new study.

But negative effects are “probable,” the study authors say, based on previous studies that have shown damage to zebrafish and mussels exposed to cocaine. Other research on fish eyes found the drug can affect the animals’ vision and ability to hunt, they say.

“There are several issues concerning their health, such as possible reproductive issues, as well as problems in prey-predator interactions,” say the two scientists, whose study is in press in the journal Science of The Total Environment .

Susceptible sharks

The study also revealed the 13 sharks had about three times higher levels of cocaine than benzoylecgonine, which means that the drug had mostly not been metabolized in the bodies of humans or other organisms—instead, some of it may have been dumped directly into the water. (Learn more about the threats of marine pollution.)

“While I’m not at all surprised to see cocaine metabolites in the water, as you’d expect that from human urine, I am surprised to see ‘cocaine’ in the water,” says Tracy Fanara , an oceanographer at the University of Florida.

Brazil is one of the main “cocaine consumer markets in South America, with around 1.5 million users, representing almost eight percent of total users worldwide,” according to the study.  

Study scientists believe there are two ways cocaine is getting into fish: Waste from drug users’ bodies entering the sewage system, as well as “clandestine” cocaine-refining laboratories disposing pure cocaine into sewage ducts along the Sernambetiba Canal, which empties into the ocean at Recreio dos Bandeirantes.

You May Also Like

expose phd

Fish along the Florida Keys are spinning in circles until they die—and no one knows why

expose phd

In a first, microplastic particles have been linked to heart disease

expose phd

Some antibiotics are no longer as effective. That's as concerning as it sounds.

Since Brazilian sharpnose sharks usually stick to coastal areas, they are particularly susceptible to this and other urban pollution.  

How does cocaine affect sharks?

Sharks may take up cocaine directly through their gills or eat smaller prey that contain the substance. This bioaccumulation through the food chain may explain why sharks had higher levels of cocaine than other aquatic organisms tested in previous research, according to the study authors. (Learn how trout can become ‘addicted’ to meth.)

It’s possible sharks do not metabolize cocaine as quickly as do humans, and a longer-lasting presence of the drug could disturb their endocrine system and thus hormone regulation, says Daniel D. Snow , a professor and lab director at the Nebraska Water Center who has studied the presence of steroids in rivers .  

Any biologically active chemical can cause stress, which in turn could make the already declining fish more susceptible to disease, Snow says.

“This is evidence of the increasing danger of cocaine pollution,” says Anna Capaldo , a professor of comparative anatomy at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy who has studied the impact of cocaine on freshwater European eels . The research found exposed eels had muscle swelling and hormone disruption that led to higher stress.

Capaldo, who reviewed the recent Brazilian study, says scientists need to investigate affected Brazilian sharpnose shark organs “to able to say with certainty” if the drugs are hurting the fish.  

Florida sharks also at risk

Fanara has studied the potential impact of cocaine off Florida, where cocaine bales—the plastic-wrapped blocks used in illegal transport—sometimes fall off drug smugglers’ boats and get into the water. In other cases, they are hidden in weighted nets underwater, awaiting collection. Though Fanara and her team haven’t found evidence of cocaine in Florida sharks yet, it’s likely happening. (Read the sad story behind the movie Cocaine Bear .)

The Brazilian study was concerning, she says, noting Brazilian sharpnose sharks “spend their entire lives being exposed to this drug, and they are a vulnerable species.”

But she says the study has a “major” weakness: The scientists did not take the water samples from the location in Recreio dos Bandeirantes where the sharks were caught.

That’s why, to get a broader picture of cocaine’s presence in the ecosystem, Saggioro is working on detecting the drug throughout the Rio de Janeiro watershed.

No easy solution

Controlling the release of cocaine—and even legal medicines and drugs—into the oceans is difficult, Snow says.

“It is possible to treat wastewater so that you’re not releasing any of these chemicals into the water, but it is incredibly expensive to do that,” he says.

In the study, the researchers call on Brazil’s regulatory bodies to acknowledge the presence of illicit   drugs in marine ecosystems and monitor and reduce their presence through legislation.

Finding cocaine in sharks, they write, “highlights the urgency for robust legal frameworks and proactive measures to address this emerging environmental issue.”

Related Topics

  • WATER POLLUTION

expose phd

Dragonflies can reveal mercury contamination. Here's how.

expose phd

Biodegradable plastic exists—but it’s not cheap

expose phd

What can your DNA say about your risk of opioid addiction?

expose phd

How do you solve a problem like glitter?

expose phd

The weight loss drugs you’re getting may be fake

  • Environment

History & Culture

  • History & Culture
  • Paid Content
  • History Magazine
  • Mind, Body, Wonder
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Nat Geo Home
  • Attend a Live Event
  • Book a Trip
  • Inspire Your Kids
  • Shop Nat Geo
  • Visit the D.C. Museum
  • Learn About Our Impact
  • Support Our Mission
  • Advertise With Us
  • Customer Service
  • Renew Subscription
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Work at Nat Geo
  • Sign Up for Our Newsletters
  • Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

  • Share full article

A collage illustration of a Sarah Kate Ellis surrounded by her receipts and a photograph of Davos, Switzerland.

A Pattern of Lavish Spending at a Leading L.G.B.T.Q. Nonprofit

GLAAD paid for its chief executive to fly first-class, rent a Cape Cod house and remodel her home office. It may have violated I.R.S. rules.

Credit... Illustration by Mel Haasch; Photographs by Nathan Bajar for The New York Times, Clara Tuma for The New York Times

Supported by

Emily Steel

By Emily Steel

  • Aug. 1, 2024

A light rain fell at the Zurich airport one Sunday morning in January 2023 as Sarah Kate Ellis made her way from a seat in Delta’s most exclusive cabin to a waiting Mercedes. It was there to chauffeur her to the Swiss Alps, where she and her colleagues would stay at the Tivoli Lodge , a seven-bedroom chalet that cost nearly half a million dollars to rent for the week.

Ms. Ellis, who was en route to the World Economic Forum in Davos, doesn’t run a Wall Street bank or a high-flying tech start-up. She is the chief executive of the nonprofit organization GLAAD, one of the country’s leading L.G.B.T.Q. advocacy groups.

The group, which has an annual budget of roughly $30 million, paid for Ms. Ellis’s trip, as well as a day of skiing, according to internal documents reviewed by The New York Times and interviews with current and former employees and others with knowledge of GLAAD’s operations.

The trip was part of a pattern of lavish spending at GLAAD, much of it by Ms. Ellis, that may have violated the organization’s own policies as well as Internal Revenue Service rules.

The Times reviewed dozens of GLAAD expense reports and accompanying receipts from January 2022 through June 2023, as well as employment agreements, tax filings, audit reports, other financial documents and internal communications.

When Ms. Ellis traveled for work, there were first-class flights, stays at the Waldorf Astoria and other luxury hotels and expensive car services. Not to mention a Cape Cod summer rental and nearly $20,000 to remodel her home office, which was outfitted with a chandelier, among other accouterments.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Advertisement

IMAGES

  1. Les étapes Pour Faire Un Exposé

    expose phd

  2. Exposé für Bachelorarbeit: Vorlage + Beispiel (Download)

    expose phd

  3. (PDF) Exposé des Dissertationsvorhabens

    expose phd

  4. Exposé für Masterarbeit: Schreiben, Muster und Vorlage

    expose phd

  5. Comment faire un exposé oral en 7 étapes [+ infographie]

    expose phd

  6. (PDF) Exposé PhD_Sylff_de_en_abstract.pdf

    expose phd

VIDEO

  1. Chaos Injected

  2. Leo 2023 Movie Explained In English Full Summarize #anime #cartoon #recap #miracle #leo #anime

  3. iPhone 15/15 Pro Max: How to Enable/Disable TODAY VIEW AND SEARCH On the Lock Screen

  4. Finally! Shaurya learn Truth of Nidhi–Karan Angry

  5. Palki made a plan to expose Varun

  6. English vocabulary

COMMENTS

  1. PDF Recommendations for Writing an Exposé

    Recommendations for Writing an Exposé. Explain your project in general terms (not more than 15 lines). 3. State of research. Short and precise explanation of the state of research. It must refer directly to your project, and you must name the most important works by other scientists in your field of research.

  2. Writing an exposé

    There are no uniform guidelines for exposés. In the field of audio communication, exposés for theses should have a length of 3-4 pages of text (Arial 11 point single-spaced), for dissertations a length of 6-8 pages is common, while applications for grants and project proposals also require a length of 10-15 pages.

  3. PDF How to Write an Expose

    ame, e-mail address, number of semesters, study programPlan your term paper write an exposé!The expo. s. mmariz. 1. Header. o. semesters, study program• Date• Working title o. • Name of the seminar. 2. Introduction to the research problem/research question. • Reference to the relevance and timeliness of your research problem.

  4. Exposé schreiben für die Dissertation

    Wer eine Doktorarbeit schreiben will, muss ein Exposé vorlegen. Es sollte die wissenschaftliche Eignung des Kandidaten oder der Kandidatin belegen und ist eine wichtige Vorarbeit für eine erfolgreiche Promotion. Was ist ein Exposé? Erste Schritte Aufbau eines Exposés Tipps und Beispiele für gute Exposés.

  5. PDF Instructions for Preparing an Exposé

    Outline. In this section, you outline a draft of your structure in descriptive or table form. This facilitates further work and gives you a basic framework for the further procedure, which you can refine and modify step by step. When planning your work, it may be useful to specify the expected scope of the individual sections in page numbers.

  6. PDF The Structure of an Exposé

    The Structure of an Exposé Dear students, The following guide is intended to give you an impression of the structure and the most important components of an exposé for the application for a thesis.

  7. PDF How to Write an Expose

    tion to your thesis, given that both are constructed very similarly. For a master's thesis, an exposé of 4-6 pages is sufficient (without outline and references); for a doctoral thesis, the exposé should have the exact same construct, but it should go into more detail. ou. outline/time table and. ef. rences).The Str. ct. re of the Exposé. 1.

  8. Writing a Thesis Exposé

    In principle, the size should be in relation to the intended scope of the thesis. For example, an exposé for a doctoral thesis in the humanities will usually be more extensive than for a doctoral thesis in medicine. As a rule of thumb, the body text of an exposé, i.e. without cover page and bibliography, should be between five and 20 pages.

  9. Writing an exposé

    Exposés in more developed versions are usually between 5 and 20 pages long. They mark the end of an in-depth orientation and preparation phase and are therefore more extensive. Exposés written for the acquisition of scholarships and research funding tend to be oriented towards the upper page limit. Language.

  10. PDF Notes on writing an exposé

    Method and sources The method used to answer the question outlined above should be named and its suitability briefly justified. This can be a source research, a qualitative or quantitative analysis, a comparative study,

  11. PDF How to Write a Research Proposal

    Methodology. This is a very important part of your research outline and should receive a lot of attention. It may well be the longest section of your proposal. Give detailed information about how you intend to answer your research questions. Anyone who reads your proposal will want to know the sources and quality of evidence you will consult ...

  12. How to Write a Great PhD Research Proposal

    Written by Mark Bennett. You'll need to write a research proposal if you're submitting your own project plan as part of a PhD application. A good PhD proposal outlines the scope and significance of your topic and explains how you plan to research it. It's helpful to think about the proposal like this: if the rest of your application explains ...

  13. PDF Exposé guidelines for STUDENTS

    PhD project. Suggestions how to improve writing style, structure or content of the Exposé are highly welcome. In case the project is part of a larger competitive extramurally-funded/ collaborative pro-posal of the PI, please give special focus to the contribution of the PhD candidate that should lead to a final independent thesis.

  14. Writing your Dissertation

    Writing your Dissertation. Overleaf's unofficial Harvard PhD Thesis and Dissertation template was created 3 years ago, please consult the Form of the PhD Dissertation for specifics on formatting your dissertation. We recommend reviewing this sample dissertation and the Top Ten Common Errors provided by the Registrar's Office.

  15. What's in a Thesis Exposé?

    Give a sketch of the state of the art that your thesis sets out to improve. In an exposé, the sketch has to be very short and to the point, mentioning exactly the top most relevant papers. For a university thesis, the background includes stating which local equipment and results you will use, if any (e.g., a robot running the HAYAI algorithm).

  16. Leaflet on Dissertation Proposals

    A dissertation proposal (German: Exposé) is a short text that provides an introduction to the topic of your dissertation for a general audience. It serves as an outline, plan, and schedule for your project. Your proposal describes what you want to deal with in your dissertation and how. A well-written proposal also demonstrates that you have ...

  17. How to nail your PhD proposal and get accepted

    When writing your PhD proposal you need to show that your PhD is worth it, achievable, and that you have the ability to do it at your chosen university. With all of that in mind, let's take a closer look at each section of a standard PhD research proposal and the overall structure. 1. Front matter.

  18. How to write a PhD: A template

    The PhD Writing Template is a way for you to visualise your PhD on one page. It guides you through creating a synopsis for each chapter and an overall outline of the thesis using simple questions to structure and guide your thinking. If you haven't already download it for free now. Whilst no two PhDs are the same, they share a number of core ...

  19. Writing Thesis Exposé

    However, the exposé is not binding. Because your ideas, structures or even your title can always change during the writing process of your thesis. Especially in the beginning, the synopsis can help you sort out your thoughts and ideas. An exposé has many advantages. It helps you get an overview of your ideas and organize them.

  20. Das Exposé für die Dissertation: Aufbau & Beispielen

    Erfahre, was ein Exposé ist, warum es wichtig ist und wie du es schreibst. Sieh dir Beispiele für Exposés aus verschiedenen Fachgebieten an.

  21. PDF Information Sheet

    Informationen für Bewerberinnen und Bewerber. Merkblatt - Forschungsexposé. Ein gut ausgearbeitetes Forschungsexposé (oder Research Proposal) ist in der Wissenschaft ein zentraler Bestandteil jeder Bewerbung. Dieses Merkblatt dient dazu, Ihnen einen kurzen Überblick darüber zu geben, was Sie beim Verfassen eines Exposés beachten sollten.

  22. Exposé für die Dissertation schreiben: Form, Inhalt, Gliederung

    Ein Exposé für eine Dissertation hat üblicherweise einen Gesamtumfang von 10 bis 20 Seiten. 1-2 Seiten davon müssen für den Zeitplan, 1-2 Seiten für die vorläufige Gliederung und 1-3 Seiten für das Literaturverzeichnis eingeplant werden. Üblich ist ein Deckblatt mit folgenden Angaben (siehe auch Beispiel unten): Name.

  23. PDF Heidelberg Center for American Studies

    Heidelberg Center for American Studies. Requirements for the application to the PhD in American Studies. •A one-page CV. •References by two of your previous academic or professional supervisors: The references must be submitted in sealed and signed envelopes. They must be written on official paper carrying an institutional letter head and ...

  24. Breast-groping disgraced China professor fired after PhD student

    A professor at the prestigious Renmin University of China has been dismissed after one of his PhD students exposed him online as a sexual predator. Wang Guiyuan, 65, a professor at the School of ...

  25. New Exclusive Photos Expose Apple's iPhone 16 Pro

    Adding to the color mix, long-time Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has noted the iPhone 16 Pro family will come in four colors; black, white/silver, grey/natural titanium, and rose.

  26. A walk on the beach after a pedicure could expose you to infections

    David Murgueytio had his first pedicure about two years ago in a Rockville, Md., nail salon. It also was his last. The pedicurist pushed his cuticles back with a sharp little scooped tool ...

  27. As a tech CEO I asked diverse female interns to expose biases in our AI

    More valuable was that the multilingual team members identified potential pitfalls in cross-language communications, exposed biases stemming from male-dominated data sources, and flagged gender ...

  28. JD Vance, an Unlikely Friendship and Why It Ended

    His political views differed from a transgender classmate's, but they forged a bond that lasted a decade — until Mr. Vance seemed to pivot, politically and personally.

  29. 'Cocaine sharks' in Brazil expose ocean pollution

    The research found exposed eels had muscle swelling and hormone disruption that led to higher stress. Capaldo, who reviewed the recent Brazilian study, says scientists need to investigate affected ...

  30. GLAAD Paid For CEO's Lavish Spending, Documents Reveal

    GLAAD paid for its chief executive to fly first-class, rent a Cape Cod house and remodel her home office. It may have violated I.R.S. rules.