a postgraduate talk series thesis writing and examination ... · 8/28/2018 · thesis writing and...

Thesis Writing and Examination From The

Perspective of Examiners

A Postgraduate Talk Series

9.00 am – 1.00 pm, 28 August 2018 Pusat Pengajian Siswazah Universiti Malaysia Sabah

Professor Dato’ T.Pr. Dr. Alias Abdullah Professor of Urban Planning & GIS

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA Tel: 0193887033 / Email: [email protected]

Who are you? •  Master student •  Ph.D. student •  Not sure

What type of programme? •  Research •  Mixed-mode

How long? •  2 years •  3 years •  4 years •  5 years

Any publications? •  0 •  1 or 2 •  3 above

What type of publications? •  Proceedings •  None Indexed •  Indexed

Supervisor

Co-supervisor(s)

Supervisory Committee

•  The duty is to advise, guide, facilitate, mentor and supervise your research.

•  They provide expertise in the related research fields for the benefit of your research.

•  They monitor your progress & performance.

•  They decide if you are ready to submit your thesis for examination & viva-voce

The Examiner(s) •  Internal examiner(s) •  External examiner(s)

•  Dean or the representative

•  Viva-voce Chairman

Examiner – Student – Supervisor Framework

Examiner’s Impression On The Draft Thesis – The first observation

•  Thickness – how many pages?

•  Content – how many chapters?

v  150 – 200 pages v  200 – 250 pages v  250 – 350 pages v  More than 350 pages

- Acceptable - Reasonable - Thick - Very thick

- 15 to 25 days - 20 to 30 days - 25 to 40 days - 30 to 50 days

v  Less than 5 chapters v  5 to 8 chapters v  More than 8 chapters

- Most likely inadequate - Acceptable & adequate - Most likely restructuring is

required


•  The Content: thickness & number of pages v  Chapter 1 v  Chapter 2 v  Chapter 3 v  Chapter 4 v  Chapter 5 v  Chapter 6 v  Chapter 7

- Introduction - Literature & theory - Case study - Methodology - Analysis - Findings & discussion - Conclusion

8-10% : 15-25% : 5-10% : 20-25% : 20-30% : 20-30% : 5%

•  What will be the ideal composition?

C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7


•  On the abstract:

•  On the references:

A precise & comprehensive write up on reason for the study, problem statement, hypothesis & proposition, significance & novelty of the study, aim/objectives to achieve, methodology developed and tested/used, and analysis & important findings – normally in a page of A4.

Evaluation on the format used; type of references like books, journals, reports and internet sources; publication year (preferable above year 2000); and cited page – avoid citing your own publications!

Examiner’s Report on Thesis

The recommendation will be:

Understanding the form:

Be awarded the degree of Ph.D or Master without amendment

Be awarded the degree of Ph.D or Master subject to minor correction (to be verified by the supervisor or internal examiner)

Be awarded the degree of Ph.D or Master subject to major correction (to be verified by the internal and/or external examiners)

Resubmit thesis for examination & re-viva

FAIL

Examiner’s Report on Thesis

What to be examined?

Searching for novelty and mistakes

1.  Title – appropriateness of the title

“What makes a good thesis title?” •  If possible start with ‘A study on…, Modelling…,

Analysing…, Developing.., An experimental study of.., etc.’

•  To avoid duplication do not use the research grant (like FRGS, TRGS, LRGS, etc.) or any published article titles.

Appropriateness of the thesis tittle will be determined by examiners at the end of thesis evaluation and viva-voce.

Examiner’s Report on Thesis What to be examined?

2.  Introduction Chapter – Appropriateness of this chapter on:

①  The importance and significance of this study – what makes you want to conduct this research? Can you justify it with facts and figures?

②  The ‘key issue or problem” as a statement – can you precisely identify it and make readers/examiners clearly understood the issue (problem) or need?

③  What will be the underlying theory, hypothesis and/or proposition that you want to provide, prove or justify?

④  What will be your key objectives to undertake the study? ⑤  What will be the coverage of your study? ⑥  On which chapters or pages you have addressed item

no 2, 3 and 4 above?

PROBLEM STATEMENTS

METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

RESEARCH PROPOSITION

& THEORY

TITLE

ANALYSIS FINDINGS

NEEDS


3.  Literature review – Relevancy of this chapter

①  Normally this part relates to LITERATURE REVIEW on the importance and significance of your research.

②  Here, you are about to discuss, extract, articulate and develop a ‘new thought’ from research gap examination – you are going to derive the fundamental theory about your research (Be careful: if it is not existed then your study is a flawed one!); – you are also going to search and identify a mechanism or an approach or a methodology or a model for analysing the collected data sets

③  This part can produce at least 2 published indexed journals if it is appropriately done!


3.  The case study chapter (if any)

①  If you are using any site specific then you can explain about the case study or the pilot study.

②  Or you may want to explain the materials to be used. ③  Or the sampling material or population size, etc.


4.  The methodology – a platform for you to conduct research

①  We would like to know about the methodology, model, technique, algorithm, approach, design, material, etc. developed and to be used – how good, effective and efficient are they with regards to problem solving?

②  Is the established methodology novel and appropriate? ③  Have anyone developed or used it before? ④  Can you compare and contrast their outcomes? ⑤  Is it well developed for testing? ⑥  Have it fulfill the research needs as outlined in earlier

chapters (especially Chapter 1 and 2)?


5.  Data Collection, Presentation & Analysis

①  Is the conducted analysis using the developed model? ②  Is the collected data sufficient to justify and prove the

hypothesis or theory? ③  Is the data reliable and comparable? ④  How good is your articulation of analysis? ⑤  How good is your data presentation? ⑥  How deep and reliable are your findings? ⑦  Am I satisfied with the data collected and used? ⑧  Am I happy with the analysis and findings?


6.  Discussion and Interpretation of Results & Findings

①  How deep and reliable are your findings?

②  Can you relate and justify the findings with your problem statement? – will this solve the problems?

③  Am I happy with the analysis and findings?

④  Are the results and findings well discussed and articulated?


7.  Conclusion and Recommendation

①  What will be your key conclusion? ②  What will be the study limitations? ③  What are the shortfalls? ④  What you have not studied or addressed? ⑤  What will be your recommendations and how good are

they?


8.  The conduct of research and thesis writing?

①  Smoothness in writing ②  Clear and effective articulation of works ③  Connectivity and linkages ④  Citation quality and quantity ⑤  Sufficient publications ⑥  Consistence and good progress in the study

Writing thesis is a journey

S1 S2 S1 S2

ü  You define its destination and path. ü  You determine its end. ü  You decide on its sadness or happiness.

S1 S2

S1 S2 S1 S2 S1 S2 S1 S2 S1 S2

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Year 1 Year 2

Have you published?

Have you published?

Have you published?

Have you completed

your thesis?

Have you completed your

thesis?

The Viva Voce q  A viva voce is an oral examination of the

thesis. q  It provides you with the following:

§  To present your works as written in the thesis §  To defense your statements, theory,

methodology, data and findings. §  To indicate the novelty of your research. §  To illustrate your publications performance. § 

Some Tips on Viva Voce q  Always observe the duration of your presentation:

q  10 minutes – 5 to 10 slides (short & precise) q  15 minutes – 8 to 15 slides (still good & encouraged) q  20 minutes – 10 to 20 slides (acceptable but

monotonous) q  30 minutes – 20 to 30 slides (too long and should stop)

q  Avoid reading the text from your power-point presentation q  Facing the examiners when you are doing your

presentation. q Do not use mixed languages, e.g. English and Malay

languages together, to avoid any confusion or complication in communication.

q Provide glossary if there are technical or sophisticated terms used.

Some Tips on Viva Voce q  In your powerpoint presentation please provide a summary table of

tasks accomplished or addressed with regard to your problem statement, research objectives, methodology developed or used, discovery or findings, etc.

Chapter1 Chapter2 Chapter3 Chapter4 Chapter5 Chapter6

Problemstatement

What?Pg? What?Pg?

Objec4ve1 What?Pg? What?Pg?

Objec4ve2 What?Pg? What?Pg? What?Pg?

Objec4ve3 What?Pg? What?Pg? What?Pg?

Methodology What?Pg? What?Pg? What?Pg?

Analysis What?Pg? What?Pg?

Findings What?Pg? What?Pg?

Publica4onsdone

Whattypeofcontribu4on?

Pg?

Whattypeofcontribu4on

?Pg?

Whattypeofcontribu4on?

Pg?

In the nutshell ….

Acknowledgement This talk was delivered to the following universities:

1.  International Islamic University Malaysia on 13 Dec 2017 2.  Universiti Teknolog Malaysia on 18 Jan. 2018 3.  Universiti Utara Malaysia on 20 Feb. 2018 4.  Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia on 21 March 2018 5.  Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia on 11 April 2018 6.  Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS on 26 April 2018 7.  Universiti Malaysia Sabah on 28 August 2018

Their support to this effort is greatly appreciated and I would like to thank the above universities for the invitation.

May Allah bless the effort!

The content of this presentation is copyrighted by Professor Dato’ Dr. Alias Abdullah:

“No body can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

Professor Dato’ TPr. Dr. Alias Abdullah Kulliyyah of Architecture & Environmental Design INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

Head of Engineering & Built Environment Cluster

National Council of Professors The Prime Minister ’s Department

MALAYSIA

Email: [email protected] Phone: +019 3887033

a postgraduate talk series thesis writing and examination ... · 8/28/2018 · thesis writing and...

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