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The Doctoral Proposal Readiness Scorecard

Built for working professionals doing a DBA, EDBA, PhD, EdD, DrPH, or other doctoral programme alongside their career. Score yourself against 10 examiner criteria in 20 minutes. See where the gaps are before your examiner does.

This takes about 12 minutes. For each of the 10 examiner criteria, score yourself honestly. There are no wrong answers, only a clear picture of where you stand. Your personalised readiness guide will be sent to your email when you finish.

Start

Question 1 of 11

Which programme are you enrolled in?

A

DBA

B

EDBA

C

PhD

D

Other Doctorate Program (i.e. EdD, DrPH, etc)

Question 2 of 11

1. Research Problem Framing

Is your research problem clearly defined and significant enough for doctoral-level research?

A

5 - My problem is clearly defined, significant, and distinctly doctoral-level

B

4 - Solid, but the significance or scope could be sharper

C

3 - The problem is there but feels generic or underdeveloped

D

2 - I'm struggling to articulate why this matters at doctoral level

E

1 - I haven't nailed down my research problem yet

Question 3 of 11

2. Theoretical Grounding

Does your proposal engage with relevant literature and position itself within an appropriate theoretical framework?

A

5 - I've engaged critically with the literature and positioned my work within a clear theoretical framework

B

4 - My framework is in place but one area needs deeper engagement

C

3 - I've reviewed literature but haven't committed to a theoretical position yet

D

2 - My theoretical grounding feels patchy or borrowed without justification

E

1 - I haven't identified my theoretical framework yet

Question 4 of 11

3. Research Aim and Objectives

Are your aim and objectives clearly stated, achievable, and aligned with the research question?

A

5 - My aim and objectives are specific, achievable, and tightly aligned with my research problem

B

4 - Mostly clear, but one objective is vague or misaligned

C

3 - I have objectives but they feel like a list rather than a coherent argument

D

2 - My aim is broad and my objectives need a good reworking

E

1 - I'm not confident I can articulate my aim clearly

Question 5 of 11

4. Methodological Appropriateness

Is your chosen methodology justified and consistent with your philosophical/epistemological stance?

A

5 - My methodology is justified and consistent with my philosophical stance

B

4 - Methodology is sound but the philosophical justification is thin

C

3 - I've chosen a method but I'm not sure it's the right one for my research question

D

2 - My methodology feels like a default choice rather than a deliberate one

E

1 - I haven't decided on my methodology yet

Question 6 of 11

5. Contribution to Knowledge

 

DBA/EDBA candidates: Is there a credible and explicit case for real-world impact beyond the academic contribution?

 

PhD candidates: Does your proposal offer a demonstrably novel addition to the scholarly field?

A

5 - I can clearly articulate what my research adds that doesn't already exist

B

4 - My contribution is emerging but I'd struggle to defend it under questioning

C

3 - I know there's a contribution but I can't express it in one sentence

D

2 - I'm not sure what makes my research different from what's already out there

E

1 - I haven't thought about contribution yet

Question 7 of 11

6. Context and Positioning

 

DBA/EDBA candidates: Does your proposal leverage your senior professional experience as a research asset rather than background noise?

 

PhD candidates: Is your research clearly situated within and in dialogue with an established academic discipline?

A

5 - My professional experience or disciplinary position is woven into the research as a genuine asset

B

4 - It's there but reads more like background than an active research resource

C

3 - I mention my context but it feels disconnected from the research design

D

2 - My proposal could have been written by anyone - my unique position doesn't come through

E

1 - I haven't connected my professional or disciplinary context to the research

Question 8 of 11

7. Scope and Feasibility

Is the scope manageable within your programme timeline given your professional commitments?

A

5 - The scope is realistic for my timeline and professional commitments

B

4 - Mostly manageable, but one element feels ambitious given my schedule

C

3 - I suspect I'm trying to do too much but I'm not sure what to cut

D

2 - The scope feels unmanageable alongside my other commitments

E

1 - I haven't assessed whether this is achievable in the time I have

Question 9 of 11

8. Ethical Considerations

Are ethical dimensions acknowledged and addressed, particularly around access and confidentiality?

A

5 - I've addressed ethical dimensions thoroughly, including access and confidentiality

B

4 - Ethics are covered but one area needs more thought

C

3 - I've acknowledged ethics but haven't worked through the specifics

D

2 - Ethical considerations feel like an afterthought in my proposal

E

1 - I haven't addressed ethics yet

Question 10 of 11

9. Academic Writing Standard

Does your proposal meet the standard of argumentation and precision expected at doctoral level?

A

5 - My proposal reads with the clarity and rigour expected at doctoral level

B

4 - Mostly strong, but some sections lack the sharpness an examiner would expect

C

3 - My writing is clear but reads more like a report than a doctoral argument

D

2 - I'm not confident my writing meets the expected academic standard

E

1 - Writing quality is a significant concern for me right now

Question 11 of 11

10. Examiner Confidence Signal

Does the overall proposal give an examiner confidence that you can execute and complete this research?

A

5 - An examiner reading this would feel confident I can execute and complete this research

B

4 - Mostly convincing, but there's one area that might raise a question

C

3 - An examiner would see potential but also significant uncertainty

D

2 - I think an examiner would have serious doubts about my ability to deliver

E

1 - If I'm honest, my proposal doesn't yet inspire confidence

Confirm and Submit