Preparing Your Thesis
background
The preparation of your MPhil or PhD thesis is probably the largest piece of written work you have produced to date and will almost certainly be the extremely demanding of both your time and your brain! The key to successful thesis preparation is, in common with most significant tasks, careful planning and organisation of the required materials. You will also require significnat support from your Supervisory Team during the draftying and finalising of your thesis.
The Academic Regulations that govern the examination process for Research Degrees (Regulations G 2.3 / 2.4) state that:
“The MPhil shall be awarded to a candidate who, having critically investigated and evaluated an approved topic and demonstrated an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field, has presented and defended a thesis by oral or approved alternative examination to the satisfaction of the examiners.”
“The PhD shall be awarded to a candidate who, having critically investigated and evaluated an approved topic resulting in an independent and original contribution to knowledge and demonstrated an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field, has presented and defended a thesis by oral examination to the satisfaction of the examiners.”
The examination process involves both the examination of your written thesis and a viva-voce (oral) examination at which you defedn the thesis to the Examination Team which inclkudes at least one member from another University who has not been connected with your research programme.
PREPARING your thesis
A MS Powerpoint presentation on Thesis Preparation and Examination can be viewed by clicking here ...
Your thesis is the examinable record of your research and will therefore include:
An abstract encapsulating the research aims and findings
The key research questions and context of your research
The research methodology and experimental procedure used
The key results obtained and discussion of their significance
The conclusions reached (and contribution to knowledge for PhD)
A list of references consulted
One or more appendices (useful for subsidiary information / data)
The thesis must “stand-alone” but may have items included, e.g. CD-ROMs, published papers, etc
PhD theses are placed in the public domain after the degree is awarded and are subject to public scrutiny!
“Divide and conquer” is a good strategy
Start with a thesis plan on a chapter by chapter basis and then add more detail via section headings, etc
Ensure you have read and accurately catalogued the references you will refer to / cite in the introductory chapters
Review the experimental results / data that you have collected so far and analyse these BEFORE stopping practical work to ensure you have adequate / appropriate results
Do not be tempted to do yet more experimental work when you have all the results you need - stopping the research can seem more difficult than starting!
Start your write up early – for example the introductory chapters could be drafted whilst practical work is still on-going
Seek and take the advice of your Supervisors– they know what is required in a completed MPhil or PhD thesis
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approval of examiners
Prior to submission of your thesis, your Supervisors will work with the TIC Research Coordinator to identify an appripate Examination Team to examine your thesis and conduct your Viva (oral) examination.
Reg G 9.1 The Faculty shall propose on the appropriate form the arrangements for the candidate's examination to the RDC for approval (see section G 12 below). This should be done not less than three months before the expected date of the examination. The examination may not take place until the examination arrangements have been approved. In special circumstances the RDC may act directly to appoint examiners and arrange the examination of a candidate.
The Faculty Research Co-Ordinator and the Supervisory Team will propose an appropriately constituted Examination Team for approval by the University RDC
Need to ensure appropriate technical coverage of the area to be examined and prior experience of examining at MPhil / PhD level
CVs giving details of technical expertise, examining experience and publications are required for each proposed examiner must accompany form UCE9EXM(2003)
The final thesis title must be confirmed on the UCE9EXM(2003) form
G 12.1 A candidate shall be examined by at least two and normally not more than three examiners (except where paragraphs G 13.7, G 14.2, or G 14.9 apply), of whom at least one shall be an external examiner.
G 12.2 An internal examiner shall be defined as an examiner who is:
12.2.1 a supervisor or adviser of the candidate;
12.2.2 a member of staff of the University; or
12.2.3 a member of staff of the candidate's Collaborating Establishment.
Normally the examination team comprises one External, one Independent Internal and one Internal (commonly the candidates Director of Studies or Second Supervisor)
URDC will ensure that the proposed External is independent of the University and is not over-used
The Independent is someone not associated with the Research Programme, either from the Candidate’s Faculty or from another Faculty within UCE.
G 11.4 The candidate shall take no part in the arrangement of the examination and shall have no formal contact with the external examiner(s) between the appointment of the examiners and the oral examination.
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submission of thesis
The thesis can be submitted for examination in a “soft-bound” permanent form, e.g. spiral or thermal binding but not a ring-binder
This is a calculated gamble on saving binding costs v. the probability of modifications being required to the thesis
In reality, it is very unusual that the examiners will require that no changes are made to the thesis , so soft-bound is recommended.
Ensure you follow carefully the thesis requirements in the Academic Regulations Part G.
Normally the candidate must submit THREE copies of the thesis for examination – but check with AQS
The candidate must also complete and sign the Candidate Declaration Form UCE10DEC
Whilst you can submit against the advice of your Supervisory Team, this is generally ill-advised – WAIT UNTIL IT’S READY!
G 11.5 The candidate shall confirm, through the submission of a declaration form that the thesis has not been submitted for a comparable academic award. A candidate shall not be precluded from incorporating, in a thesis covering a wider field, work which has already been submitted for a degree or comparable award, provided that it is indicated on the declaration form, and also in the thesis, which work has been so incorporated.
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