thesis writing course syllabus

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EFS 698B: Advanced Graduate Writing Summer 2013  TuTh 9:00-10:50, Meyer 280D  

Instructor: Phil Hubbard 260-302G (650) 725-1557 [email protected]   www.stanford.edu/~efs/698b

Introduction. The goal of this course is to help you improve your academic writing skill to the point where you can successfully write across a range of anticipated writing tasks, from short reports to dissertations. To the degree possible, I will orient the course toward the writing you need for your own field of study. All of your individual writing assignments will relate to work you are doing for other academic or professional purposes. If you are submitting a paper for credit in another class, it is your responsibility to get the professor’s approval to receive my assistance to avoid the possibility of an Honor Code violation. See me individually if you have questions about this point.

Course content. The course will have two parts. In class we will focus attention on various points of academic writing form and style, both in general and as they relate to your particular field. There will also be individual meetings (typically a twenty minute meeting each week) during which time we will work on areas specific to your own needs, based on what shows up in the writing you submitted. Homework will include exercises from the text and assignments relating to other aspects of classwork.

Text. Williams & Colomb.   Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. 10th Edition (the 9th or 11th edition is also acceptable)

Requirements. The major requirement for receiving credit in this course is to show clear improvement in your writing. There are several more specific requirements for a grade of S (Satisfactory).

1) Attendance. You must attend at least 90% of the scheduled classes and all of the scheduled individual meetings. Please contact me by phone or email if you have to cancel a scheduled meeting for some reason or if you know you are going to be absent from class.

2) Homework. You must complete all the course assignments completely and in time for class discussion of them. I expect you to be able to work on the assignments independently, but if you are having problems be sure to let me know ahead of time so that I can help. If you miss class, you should bring your homework to our next meeting.

3) Individual assignments. Normally, at each meeting we will determine together what a reasonable assignment would be for you, which you agree to complete as specified. This includes handing your paper in early enough for me to have time to preview it before the meeting: see the next page for specific deadlines. I assume that some weeks you may not require such a meeting, but you must sign up for and attend at least 4 to receive class credit.

Please note the following with respect to the individual meetings:

• If turning in a printed paper, turn it in no later than noon the day before our meeting. Drop it off in the slot on my office door: 260-302G.

• I will also accept your paper by email. Please send it as an attachment to [email protected] by 6:00 PM the day before the meeting. Note that I cannot read any formats besides MS-Word and PDF . Please do not send LaTex or Postscript files.

• Remember that my job is to be your writing instructor, not your editor. Any work you turn into me should represent the best you can do on your own. That way, we can focus on what you really need help with and you can make the greatest progress.

• I will normally review a maximum of 10 double-spaced pages per session--be sure you double space so that there is room for my comments. If you submit more than that, please indicate what is most important as the rest will not get read closely. There is no set minimum, but I normally expect at least two pages.

• In general, I will review all aspects of the paper (organization, style, grammar, word choice, etc.). If you want me to ignore certain parts and focus more closely on others, please let me know and I'll try to accommodate your request.

Class Schedule (subject to change)

WEEK             TOPIC (Williams references are by lesson number in the text)

1                      Course introduction; Williams 1 & 2; overview of the writing process

2                      Williams 3; sample article analysis (no class Thursday July 4, national holiday)

3                      Williams 4;  academic journal review (no class Thursday July 11, instructor at a conference)

4                      Williams 5; abstracts; thesis and dissertation writing

5                      Williams 6; a bstracts & introductions

6                      Williams 7; introductions

7                      Williams 8; introductions & conclusions

8                      Williams 10 & 11; conclusions; course review

DISABILITY NOTICE: Students who have a disability which may necessitate an academic accommodation or the use of auxiliary aids and services in a class, must initiate the request with the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), located within the Office of Accessible Education (OAE).  The SDRC will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend appropriate accommodations, and prepare a verification letter dated in the current academic term in which the request is being made.  Please contact the SDRC as soon as possible; timely notice is needed to arrange for appropriate accommodations.  The Office of Accessible Education is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk (phone:  723-1066; TDD:  725-1067).

Last modified: June 16, 2013 by Phil Hubbard

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Course info.

• Prof. Roger Petersen

Departments

• Political Science

As Taught In

• Social Science

Thesis Research Design Seminar

Course meeting times.

Lectures: 1 session / week, 2 hours / session

This seminar is for students who plan to write a senior thesis in Political Science, and is required of all MIT Political Science majors. Seminar participants will develop their research topics, review relevant research and scholarship, frame their research questions and arguments, choose an appropriate methodology for analysis, draft the introductory and methodology sections of their theses, and write a complete prospectus of the project.

Requirements

• Class Attendance: As the class is largely based on student interaction, class attendance is mandatory. The course requires several oral presentations and students are expected to be present to usefully criticize other students.
• Short Written Assignments
• A draft prospectus
• Oral presentation of the prospectus before an audience that may include several faculty and the undergraduate advisor
• Final draft

The final grade will be determined after consultation with thesis advisor and is heavily weighted by the quality of the final draft of the prospectus.

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By your last term, you should have finished 14 credits of research and be enrolled in 4 credits of BRR403 ( syllabus ). Try to finish any remaining research no later than the beginning of this term, leaving plenty of time to write your thesis. At the beginning of your last term, prepare a brief thesis outline in consultation with your mentor. Also, plan ahead : let your mentor know when you hope to give your final seminar, and make sure he or she will be available. Thesis format:

Your thesis will be written in the format of a manuscript submitted to a scientific journal in your field. You and your mentor will select an appropriate journal. You will follow this format exactly, except that the Introduction and Methods sections of your thesis may be expanded to provide more detail than what is found in a typical journal article. The average thesis is about 25 double-spaced text pages, plus 6-8 tables and figures.  At the discretion of the mentor, additional material may be added in an appendix. Link to examples in Library archive.

A helpful checklist you can use to critique your thesis can be found here.

Thesis/BRR403 Meetings:

You will attend BRR403 during the term you are writing your thesis (usually your final term). The usual meeting time for BRR 403 is Mondays at 5 pm. When you come to the first meeting, you will bring a journal article from the journal you have selected to use for format.

Finishing your thesis: timeline:

The BRR advisor will help you schedule your final seminar/thesis defense, to be held no later than Friday before dead week . You should give drafts of each thesis section to your mentor as you complete them .

Submit a complete draft copy of your thesis to your faculty mentor no later than three weeks prior to final seminar/defense date . Your advisor will meet with you to give you back an edited draft two weeks before your final defense. Submit a revised copy of the thesis to the faculty mentor, secondary advisor, and BRR director no later than one week prior to final seminar/defense date .  This copy should contain the Thesis Title Page and Signatures Page , which you and your committee will sign when the final thesis is approved. [note: clicking on the Thesis Title Page link will download an RTF version of the title and signture pages, which you can open in Word or cut and paste into a Word document. You will insert your information in the highlighted sections and remove the highlighting].

Honors College thesis formatting requirements are slightly different: see link . If you are in Honors College, follow their required format. Your committee will give you suggestions and editorial changes to the thesis at your defense. Using these, edit and submit a final copy of the thesis to your faculty mentor and BRR director. Obtain signatures from your committee on the signatures page and give a signed final copy to the advisor by Wednesday of finals week .

NOTE THAT THE UNIVERSITY HONORS COLLEGE HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE THESIS COMMITTEE, TITLE PAGE FORMAT, AND DEADLINES (deadlines are earlier)! YOU WILL HAVE TO HAND IN A BOUND COPY OF YOUR THESIS TO HONORS COLLEGE, WHEREAS BRR RECQUIRES AN ELECTRONIC COPY.

IF YOU ARE IN THE HONORS COLLEGE, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT DETAILS OF THESE HONORS COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS.

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Master's Thesis in Business Administration II, 15 Credits

Swedish name: Masteruppsats i företagsekonomi II

This syllabus is valid: 2022-10-31 and until further notice

Syllabus for courses starting after 2022-10-31

Syllabus for courses starting between 2022-08-01 and 2022-10-30

Syllabus for courses starting between 2020-08-17 and 2022-07-31

Syllabus for courses starting between 2019-08-19 and 2020-08-16

Syllabus for courses starting between 2019-02-25 and 2019-08-18

Syllabus for courses starting before 2019-02-24

Course code: 2FE402

Credit points: 15

Education level: Second cycle

Main Field of Study and progress level: Business Administration: Second cycle, contains degree project for Master of Arts/Master of Science (120 credits)

Grading scale: Three-grade scale

Responsible department: Business Administration

Revised by: Rector of Umeå School of Business and Economics, 2022-09-29

The objective of the Master's thesis is to further develop the student's ability to carry out and contribute to business research. The student should demonstrate, through his/her thesis and orally, an ability to plan, conduct, and present a scientific investigation of relevance to the subject of Business Administration and the student's chosen Master's program. A further aim is to develop skills for the critical examination of investigations and research reports and to provide the student with the opportunity for a deeper level of theoretical study within a chosen area.   Module 1. Side-opposition, 0 credits Secondly, the student should submit a written critical analyses (side-opposition), of one other 2nd year Master's thesis at the public thesis seminar. This is an individual assignment. The side-opposition must clearly document the student's critical abilities. In addition, the student is required to participate at the thesis seminar relating to the side-opposition.   Module 2. Master's Thesis, 15 credits The thesis work should prove the students' independent abilities to investigate an issue within the field of business administration. The emphasis lies on the critical choice of method, the creation of a relevant theoretical frame of reference, and an in-depth analysis of the theoretical and empirical material. Further, the author must identify a possibility to contribute to the existing literature in a chosen subject or problem area, and make a significant and realistic effort to make this contribution. The methodology discussions must be clearly connected to the problem area and the different parts must be well integrated as a harmonized unity. Thesis work should generally be conducted in groups of two.   Module 3. Main opposition, 0 credits A major critical analysis of another Master's thesis is required. This is carried out through an individual written as well as an oral discussion of another's research in a seminar. Generally, the oral critical analysis is conducted together with one's thesis co-author.

Expected learning outcomes

After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the chosen reseach question, area of research, and related methodical issues
• identify a research area and formulate a research problem that furthers knowledge within a specific field
• develop a theoretical frame of reference that reflects over previous findings and research methods.
• argue convincingly for the chosen research method with reflection on alternative methodological approaches.
• apply appropriate data collection methods for the collection of empirical material. 
• analyze and discuss the empirical material using relevant methods for analyses.
• draw conclusions and discuss the thesis's theoretical contribution to the selected research area and suggest practical recommendations to relevant stakeholders.
• present proposals for future studies based on the conducted study. 
• discuss societal and ethical issues of relevance for the thesis.
• communicate the main arguments, contents and results of the study in a scholarly manner
• defend the thesis at a seminar
• critically examine other student theses both orally and in writing.

Required Knowledge

90 credits with a minimum of 75 credits in Business Administration. 82.5 credits within a two-year Master's Program at Umeå School of Business and Economics of which a minimum of 67.5 credits in Business Administration on advanced level including a Master's thesis 15 credits and 30 credits core courses or equivalent. Previously completed courses must include studies of scientific methodology within business/social sciences corresponding to at least 7.5 credits, including both qualitative and quantitative methodology

Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B or the equivalent.

Form of instruction

The authors' independence and responsibility is emphasized in this thesis work. Thus the supervisor's influence and control is reduced in order to create the necessary conditions for individual autonomy, creativity, and personal responsibility. The ongoing thesis work is to be presented to the supervisor on at least three occasions during the thesis process. Supervision is only guaranteed for the semester under which the student is firstly registered for the course.

Examination modes

Examinations takes place during set exam periods within the semester.   Module 1. Side-opposition, 0 credits This module consists of written side-opposition on one other 15 credits Master's Thesis. Written side-opposition is always individual.  In addition, the student is required to take part in the seminar for this particular Master's Thesis. Side-opposition is graded as pass or fail.   Module 2. Master's Thesis, 15 credits The Master's Thesis is examined through authoring and defending an independent work. The following grading system is used: Pass with distinction (Väl godkänd, VG), Pass (Godkänd, G) and Fail (Underkänd, U). The Master's Thesis is assessed and graded by a grading teacher and an examiner, whereas the individual effort in the defense is graded at the seminar.   In case the Master's Thesis is not accepted as is, it may be revised with instructions given by the supervisor (or the grader), or subject of a new effort. In cases of revision, the new version should be completed and delivered to the grading teacher within four weeks after the final seminar/or the date the revision was presented.   Module 3. Main opposition, 0 credits A major critical analysis of another 2nd year Master's Thesis (15 credits) is required. This is carried out through an individual written as well as an oral examination of another's research in a constructive and critical manner at a public seminar. Generally, the oral critical analysis is conducted together with one's Master's Thesis co-author. The main opposition is graded as pass or fail.   For the course as a whole, the following grading system is used: Pass with distinction (Väl godkänd, VG), Pass (Godkänd, G) and Fail (Underkänd, U).   Grades on the course are awarded when students have passed all examinations and compulsory course elements.   Rules and regulations concerning the production of academic texts and correct referencing will be applicable to all written assignments.

Disciplinary action may be taken against students who uses unauthorized help aids or in some other way tries to mislead on a test or when another type of task is being evaluated. Rules and regulations concerning the production of academic texts and correct referencing will be applicable to all written assignments. See instructions in the thesis manual, Thesis Writing in Business Administration. Systems for plagiarism detection may be used for control. In addition, Umeå University rules and regulations  for education and research applies.

Other regulations

The thesis and seminar assignments are written in English. 

The thesis is jointly written by two students.

The thesis is jointly written by two students. It is not possible for students who jointly write a thesis, to be registered for different types of theses (e.g. one student writing a bachelor's and the other a master's thesis).   Supervision is only guaranteed for the semester under which the student is firstly registered for the course, regardless of how much supervision that has been utilized.   The thesis course is a campus course, which implies personal presence for supervision, participation in seminars, and collaboration with a thesis partner.   For students following a master's program, the subject for the thesis should be within the scope of the master's program. For further information, see descriptions for awarding degrees (in Marketing, Management etc.)   The length of the Master's thesis should range from 50 to 70 pages.   The empirical material that is utilized in the thesis should on request be available for supervisor, main opponents and the graders in its original form (raw-data).   When the grade has been set, archive copies of the completed thesis shall as soon as possible, and within 4 weeks, be submitted in digital form in the Diva system.

Academic credit transfers are according to the University credit transfer regulations.

Exceptions from examination form as stated in the syllabus can be made for a student who has a decision on pedagogical support for disabilities. Individual adaptations of the examination form should be considered based on the student's needs. The examination form shall be adapted within the framework of the expected learning outcomes stated in the course syllabus. At the request of the student, the course responsible teacher, in consultation with the examiner, must promptly decide on the adapted examination form. The decision must then be notified to the student.

Valid from: 2022 week 44

Course literature.

For instructions, see the Manual for Thesis Writing.

Literature is to be found individually. A list of recommended methods literature could be found in the appendix to the Manual for Thesis Writing.

Instructions are found in the Manual for Thesis Writing.

Course reference literature

Thesis writing in Business Administration. Thesis manual. USBE Företagsekonomi : https://www.umu.se/en/student/usbe/thesis-and-degree-project-work/

Reference literature is literature that broadens, deepends and clearifys the subject. The student is expected to utilize this sources and other sources, primarily during the work with written assignments. Additional individual literature focusing on specific topics may be needed to be able to complete module assignments.

EDU4310 – Thesis Proposal Writing and Thesis Research Seminars

Course description, course content, learning outcome, prerequisites, examination, schedule, syllabus and examination date.

• Autumn 2012
• Spring 2012
• Autumn 2011
• Spring 2011

In preparation of the thesis, students will be taught how to develop a research proposal outlining all aspects of the planned work. The proposals will be discussed in research seminars. The proposal must be approved by the supervisor before planned field work for the thesis can be undertaken.

The course aims at enhancing the students’ capacity to plan independent research and to communicate this in a research proposal and orally to the academic community.

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb .

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures .

The Comparative and International Education Programme is open to all students who fulfil the basic requirements above. The main target groups are international students, for example students under the 'Quota' Programme (developing countries), NOMA scholarship students from developing countries, partner institutions, Erasmus students and NORDPLUS students. Norwegian students are also encouraged to apply.

All students in the 3rd semester of the programme have equal access to the course.

Only students who have been admitted to the course may attend the lectures, seminars and examination.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Students are required to have passed the previous courses.

A minimum of 90% attendance is required of all students. If a student does not fulfil the mandatory attendance requirement, they will need to complete an additional assignment prior to passing the course.

Access to teaching

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

The examination will be passed on the submission of a thesis proposal, as well as an attendance rate of 90%. The submission of the thesis proposal is an obligatory requirement. The proposals must be approved by the responsible teacher before a supervisor can be appointed. The supervisor must approve the final proposal before field work can be undertaken.

Language of examination

The examination language is English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system .

The assignment will count as the entire portion of the final course grade.

Explanations and appeals

• Explanation of grades and appeals

Resit an examination

• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Resitting an examination

Special examination arrangements

Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements .

Facts about this course

Teaching is no longer offered for this course because of the new CIE structure. Exams will continue until Spring 2014.

Exams will continue until Spring 2014.

Faculty of Educational Sciences

Thesis Syllabus II - EDUC 685/686

This course is intended for Master’s level students to complete their Master’s Thesis project. In this summer session, students will revise their first draft to produce a defense draft, defend their thesis before their thesis committee, and make any required revisions before submitting their final draft. Students will work one-on-one with their thesis advisor and the thesis coordinator to identify times that they will meet and create a plan for communication throughout the process of completing the Master’s Thesis.   

Course Focus

The Master’s Thesis is the culminating assessment in earning the degree of Master of Arts in Urban Education at Rhodes College. As such, it should be treated as a serious and academically rigorous component of the program. Each project is unique to the student completing it, and thus there is flexibility in scheduling, approach, and style that is up to the discretion of the thesis advisor. The thesis component of the M.A. in Urban Education at Rhodes College is meant to demonstrate advanced study and inquiry into a particular facet of urban education in relation to the experiences of candidates in the program. The thesis is a work of original scholarship, designed with guidance from a thesis advisor and thesis committee. A copy of the final project is uploaded to the ProQuest Dissertation and Theses database and added to the College Archives. 

The Completed Thesis

The thesis should be organized into something like the following structure (though consult with your advisor for more specific guidance):

• Introduction
• Review of Relevant Research
• Findings (Results/Analysis)
• Discussion (e.g., Interpretation, Connection to Existing Research, Implications, Limitations of the Study)
• Appendix(es) [only if required by the project; e.g., curriculum project]

Complete theses should be between 6,000-8,000 words, including references and curriculum appendices for curriculum projects.

Thesis Draft Formatting

See all thesis draft formatting requirements here .

Evaluation of Student Performance

Student performance will be evaluated based on the components listed below. Each element is required in order to receive any credit for the course. (One cannot, for example, skip the Works in Progress conference and still pass with a 90% in the course. This caveat includes any and all required revisions to the thesis following the thesis proposal.) The final judgment about each of these areas is made by the advisor in consultation with the thesis coordinator and/or other committee members.

Grading Scale :

• achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.
• achievement that is above the level necessary to meet course requirements.
• achievement that meets the minimum course requirements in every respect.
• achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements.

Grading Timeline : While you are officially enrolled in this course over the month of June, the work for the thesis continues through the month of July. At the end of the grading period, you will be assigned the grade IP (in progress), which is a placeholder until you can complete and submit your thesis final draft. At that point, your advisor will replace the IP grade with the grade you have earned. If you do not complete all final required revisions and submit your final draft by the end of July, your grade will be changed to a conditional grade (an incomplete). Students who receive a conditional grade due to missed deadlines, barring exceptional circumstances such as documented medical emergencies, should expect their final grade to reflect their failure to meet these deadlines.

Course Policies

Participation : Students are required to schedule and attend meetings with their advisor (number of meetings TBD by advisor) and the thesis coordinator (number of meetings TBD by thesis coordinator), respond to inquiries and requests by advisors, committee members, and thesis coordinator (including timely response to all correspondence over email), and attend all core events related to the thesis (workshops, Works in Progress conference, etc.). 

In recognition of the fact that illness and emergencies occur, students are allowed one absence from scheduled meetings/events without it impacting their grade. After the second absence, the participation score will drop to half. After the third absence, a student will receive a zero for the participation score. Four absences will result in an automatic failure of the course . In the event of exceptional circumstances, a student who has had four absences in a single course can request a hearing with the program faculty to consider granting a waiver of this policy. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to notify the instructor as soon as you know and make a plan for a new meeting time. 

Automatic Failing Grade : If a student misses 4 or more meetings, they will automatically receive an F for the semester. See above for examples of excusable absences and requirements for completing missed course work.

Students who do not attend or present at the Works in Progress conference, the thesis defense, or who fail to submit a final draft (including any revisions requested by the committee or thesis coordinator) will automatically receive an F for the semester.

Tardiness : Please arrive to meetings on time. In addition to being disrespectful to the rest of the class, tardiness will result in a loss of participation credit.

Late assignments : You are expected to hand in all assignments on time. Failure to do so will affect your grade at your advisor's discretion. 

All submitted components of the thesis must be your own work and completed in accordance with Rhodes’ Honor Code. Students are expected to be familiar with the requirements of the Code and to conduct themselves accordingly in all classroom matters. Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s information or ideas without proper citation. If you have questions about the correct use or citation of materials, please consult with your advisor or the Writing Center. Papers with evidence of plagiarism will be referred to the Honor Council.

Rhodes faculty are concerned about the well-being and development of our students and are required by policy to share knowledge of sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, sexual exploitation, stalking, sexual harassment, and sex/gender discrimination with the Title IX Coordinator, Tiffany Cox. For more information about Rhodes’s sexual misconduct policy or to make a report, please go here .