Proposal Assessment Criteria

The proposal is submitted as the final piece of coursework for both the Introduction to CEERES and Social Science Methodology courses. You will be assessed on how you demonstrate that you can combine and apply your knowledge of key issues, themes, and debates in the CEERE region and your understanding of social science methodology to develop an independent research project.

The proposal is graded out of 30 points and will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

• The title is clear and provides a concise description of the thesis project 
• The research puzzle is coherent, well-argued, and the topic is relevant for the CEERE region 
• The theoretical/conceptual approach is clearly outlined and connected to the research puzzle 
• The choice of empirical case (or case studies) is clearly described and justified in relation to the research puzzle 
• The research questions  are formulated on the basis of the research puzzle, theoretical/conceptual framework, and/or empirical case studies and can be realistically answered within the scope of the proposed thesis project 
• The preliminary expectations or hypothesis coheres with the research questions and research puzzle.
• The selection of research methods is appropriate for answering the research questions/hypotheses and concrete examples of data sources are provided 
• The proposal reflects on potential challenges and outlines steps that will be taken overcome these obstacles 
• The thesis chapters follow a logical and argument-driven structure 
• The working schedule is realistic, achievable, and demonstrates good time management planning 
• The bibliography includes relevant literature covering the empirical, theoretical, and methodological aspects of the research project and provides a solid basis for developing the research further