论文标题： A Study of English Academic Dissertation Proposals: An Analysis of Formal Features and Argumentation Strategies
1. Introduction
This research proposal outlines a study focused on the genre of English academic dissertation proposals. The primary objective is to systematically *yze the recurrent formal (structural) features and the key argumentation strategies employed in successful proposals within English-medium higher education contexts. Understanding these conventions is crucial for both novice academic writers and supervisors, as the proposal serves as a foundational document that justifies and plans a research project.
2. Research Objectives and Questions
The study aims to achieve the following specific objectives:
(1) To identify and describe the standard macro-structure and obligatory sections of a high-quality English dissertation proposal.
(2) To *yze the specific linguistic and rhetorical moves within each section, particularly focusing on how researchers establish a research gap, formulate research questions, and justify methodological choices.
(3) To examine the persuasive strategies used to argue for the project's significance, feasibility, and original contribution to knowledge.
Guiding research questions are:
RQ1: What are the constitutive formal elements and their typical sequencing in English dissertation proposals across selected disciplines?
RQ2: What specific argumentation patterns and rhetorical moves are employed to establish credibility and persuade the intended readers (e.g., committee members)?
RQ3: How do these formal and rhetorical features vary, if at all, between different academic fields (e.g., humanities vs. social sciences)?
3. Literature Review
Existing research on academic discourse has extensively covered genres like research articles and theses. However, the dissertation proposal as a distinct genre has received comparatively less focused attention. Previous studies (e.g., Swales & Feak, 2000; Paltridge & Starfield, 2007) have provided foundational frameworks for *yzing academic writing. This study will build upon genre *ysis theory and move *ysis methodology to dissect the proposal's unique characteristics. It will also integrate insights from rhetoric and persuasion studies to understand how writers construct a compelling argument for their proposed research.
4. Methodology
A mixed-methods approach will be adopted, combining quantitative and qualitative *yses.
Corpus: A specialized corpus of approximately 50 successful, publicly available PhD dissertation proposals from Anglo-American universities will be compiled. Proposals will be sampled from at least two contrasting disciplines (e.g., Linguistics and Sociology).
Data Analysis:
5. Expected Outcomes and Significance
The study is expected to yield a detailed descriptive framework of the English dissertation proposal genre. It will produce a clear model of its formal structure and catalog effective argumentation strategies. The findings will have practical pedagogical significance for EAP (English for Academic Purposes) instruction, providing a concrete template and rhetorical guide for graduate students. It will also contribute theoretically to genre studies by deepening the understanding of a critical, yet under-researched, academic genre.
6. Preliminary Outline and Timeline
7. References (Illustrative)
Paltridge, B., & Starfield, S. (2007). Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language. Routledge.
Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2000). English in today's research world: A writing guide. University of Michigan Press.