Day-by-Day Calendar to Write Chapter 1 in ONLY 10 DAYS || Dissertation Proposal

by Drs. Nicholas and Jo Markette

Getting through your doctoral proposal is a major milestone in any PhD program. While the complete proposal typically includes three chapters - introduction, literature review, and methodology - today we'll focus on how to efficiently write Chapter 1 in just 10 days.

Chapter 1 serves as the introduction to your entire dissertation and consists of five key sections: introduction, background of the study, definition of terms, limitations, and summary. The good news? Each section typically only needs to be one to two pages long, making it entirely feasible to complete a solid draft in just 10 days.

Here's a practical day-by-day breakdown:

· Days 1-2: Introduction

· Days 3-5: Background of the study

· Day 6: Definition of terms

· Days 7-8: Limitations

· Days 9-10: Summary

The beauty of this timeline is its flexibility. Need to start on a Thursday instead of Monday? No problem. Want to add an extra day between sections to make it a two-week process? Go for it! The key is adapting the schedule to fit your personal responsibilities and commitments outside of your dissertation journey.

Remember, your university's requirements for Chapter 1 might vary slightly from this template, so be sure to adjust the sections and timeline according to your program's specific guidelines.

For a more comprehensive guide on writing your entire proposal, check out our companion videos on completing Chapter 2 in one month and Chapter 3 in three weeks. With these resources, you'll have a clear roadmap for tackling each component of your dissertation proposal.

Watch the full video guide here:

Markette, N. & Markette., J. [Dr. Markette]. (2023, Nov). How to Write CHAPTER 1 in 10 Days || Dissertation Proposal. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/vkOZeqxya9A